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TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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CIHM 
Microfiche 
Series 
(l\/lonographs) 


ICMM 

Cbllection  de 
rhicrofiches 
(monographles) 


^       Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Miproreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Ttchnical  and  Bibli^aphic  Notes  /  Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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copy'available  for  filming.  Features  of  this  copy  which 
may  be  bibliographically  unique,  which  may  alter  arfy 
of  the  images  in  the  reproduction,  or  which  may 
significantly  change  the  usual  meilfod  of  filming,  are 
checked  below. 


a 


Coloured  covers/  ^ 

Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagie 

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Couverture  restaurie  et/bu  pelliculie 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

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Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire)* 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le.meilleur  exemplaire  qu'il 
lui  a  M  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details  de  cet 
exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-4tre  uniques  du  point  de  vue 
bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier  une  image 
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ci-dessous. 

□  Coloured  pages/ 
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□  Pages  damaged/  ^, 

Pages  endommagies 


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0  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  dteolories,  tachettos  ou  piquees 

□  Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachtes 

0Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


n 


n 


D 


Coloured  plates  and/or  illiistrations/ 
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Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relie  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
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II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^ 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  iorsque  cela  ^tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  et^  f  ilmtes. 


Add^onal  comments:/ 
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This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  i'tlmi  au  taux  de  rMuction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 

^QX  14X  18X  '    — - 


D 


Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualite  inigale  de  I'impression 


□  Continuous  pagination/ 
Pagination  continue 


D 


D 


Includes  index(es)/ 
Comprend  un  (des)  irHlex 

Title  on  header  taken  from:/ 
Le  titre  de  I'en-tCte  provient: 


Title  page  of  issue/ 

Page  de  titre  de  la  livraison 


□  Caption  of  issue/ 
Titre  de  depart  de  la 


D 


depart  de  la  livraison 

Masthead/ 

Generique  (periodiques)  de  la  livraison 


..^Hk^^ 


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.S&Xrr 


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12X 


16X 


20X 


24  X 


28  X 


32  X 


The  c6py  filmed  here  hes  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  genei-osity  of: 

'  National  Library  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grflce  il  la 
g6n6ro8it6  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


The' images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specificatiorfs. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
oth0r  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  la&t  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin.  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  fiim6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  condition^  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  filmte  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  erhpreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  4es  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmis  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  xomporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  dlllustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  cpmporte  une  telle 
empreinte.  » 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  'END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivahts  apparaTtra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ►  signifie  "A  ^UIVRE".  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


% 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method:  , 


1 

2 

3 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
film(6s  d  d^  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  c|if|dument  est  trop  grand  0our  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  f  iimi  A  partir 
de  I'angle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  has.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


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THE 


LAYING  OF  THE  CABLE, 


OR 


THE   OCEAN   TELEGRAPHf 


BKINO 


A  COMPLETE  A5D  AUTHENTIC  NARRATIVE 


or  TH> 


ATTEMPT  TO  LAY  THE  CABLE  ACROSS  THE  ENTRANCE  TO  THE  GULF 
OF  ST.  LAWRENCE  IN  1866, 


AND    OF    THK 


THREE  ATLANTIC  TELEGRAPH  EXPEDITIONS- 


OF.  1857   AND   1858: 


WITH  A  DITAILBD  ACCODMT  OF 

THK -MECHANICAL    AND    8CIKNTIFIC    PAET    OK    THB    WOKK,    A8    WWX    Afl 
BIOGRAPHICAL   SKKTCHKB    OH*    MK8BB8.   CTBC8   W.    FIKLD, 
WILLLUI  K.   EVKBETT,    AND    OTHBK    PEOMIHKNT 
PEBSOMB    CONNECTED    'WITH    THB 

SNTEBPBISS.  fit 

ttltrSTBATKD   WITH  POKTKAITa,  KNQEATING9  0»  THB  MAOHINZBT,   AND 
8CBNB8  IN  THB  I'BOOBBSS  OF  THB  QBBAT  VOBX. 


BT 


JOHN  MULLALY, 

HI8T0BIAM    OF   THE   KNTBEPEIBB. 


NEW  YORK: 
D.    APPLETON    AND    COM?,ANY, 

846  dc  848  BROAD'WS^. 
1888. 


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XimBMD  Mcording  U>  A«t  of  CongrtM^  in  tbe  jau  166S, 

By  U.  AI'PLKTON  k.  CO, 

In  tkt  Cacrk't  Office  of  tb«  OUtrtct  Coart  of  tlia  Uaited  8t*tM  for  the  Suatliern  Dtstriet 

of  New  York. 


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'       PREFACE. 

It  waa  the  good  fortune  of  the  author  to  have  been 
on  board  the  U.  8.  frigate  Niagara  durilg  the  Atlantic 
Telegraph  expeditions  of  ISSY-'S,  and  to  have  been  pres- 
ent on  the  occasion  of  the  landing  of  the  cable  in  New- 
foundland on  the  memorable  5th  of  August.    While  on 
\  these  expeditions  he  acted  in  the  capacity  of  special  oor- 
i-espondewf  of  the  New  Vork  Herald,  and  in  that  position 
co1I4H^  a  large  &nount  of  information  in  regard  to  the  ^ 
history^^T'^g?^,  and  successful  completion  of  the  great ' 
enterpriser ;>This  he  embodies  in  the  following  pages, 
and  it  is  enough  to  say  that  he  ^  present  at  every 
scene  therein  described,  and  was  ^^ainted  with  every 
step-in  the  progress  of  the  undertaHng;  thAt  he  knew 
the  men  by  whom  it  waa  so  successfully  carried  om  and 
that  he  has  faithfully  endeavored  to  deserve  the  title 
which  he  has  received  of  "  Historian  of  the  Enterprise.^ 
He  takes  advantage  of  this  opportunity  to  return  his 
thanks  to  the  wardrroom  officera  of  the  Niagara  for  the 
many  kindnesses  and  courtes&s  which  he  received  at 
their  hands  during  the  eleven  months  he  spent  on  board 
that  ship  as  their  guest,  and  to  Captain  Hudson  for  the 


■'•"'yv'-^'f^jf  < 


•9  *:'"'•'- 


mr 


.•*  >• 


8 


narxoE. 


privileges  he  waa  permitted  to  enjoy  on  the  two^cmiBeo 

;  which  be  made  with  that  gaUant  commander.    To  Mr. 

.Cyrus  W.  Field,  from  whom  he  obtained  much  of  the 

information  herein  presented,  he  desires  also  to  expresB 

his  sincere  acknowledgments  for  the  many  acts  of -p^ 

-  sonal  friendship  for  which  he  is  indebted  to  that  gentle- 

mftn.    He  Would  likewise  take  this  occasion  to  retunThis 

thanks  to  Messrs.  MarkweU  and  Arcpdeckne  of  CWon, 

who  were  unremitting  in  their  kind  attentions  during  hia 

visit  to  th<3rt;  city.  ,  ,  - 


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CONTEN-TS, 


"^-^  Obioiii  aitd  Histost  ot  va  AxtAimo  XKuaiAPH, 

BlOOBVUIOAL  SKITOnW  OF  THK  MbK  OF  THl  EhTIBPEMI, 


y 


M 


C/rus  W.  Field,       . 
'Prof.  8.  F.  B.  Morse, 

Mr.  Wtn.  F..  Ev«retlC 

Mr.  Woodbooae, 

Mr.  Oanning, 

Mr.  De  Sauty,^   . 

Mr.  Clifford, 

Mr.  J.  0.  Laws, 

Mr.  dW  T.  Bright, 

Mr.  Whitehooae, 
'  Prof.  Thomaoti, 

Mr.  J.  W.-firett, 

'Mr.  Appold, 

Captain  Hadson, 

Captain  -Preedy, 

Captain  Da;  -^an. 

Captain  Aldham, 

Captain  Qtter,    .  .  .  „  ^ 

Thk  NBWFoui)DLA.n>  SimiuBDnt  Tilmiupb:, 

The  Newfoundland  Cable,         .  .     •'" 

Fan  Atlahtio  TKLiaBATH  Expedition,  ,       ^  . 
■     -  Life  on  boar^  the  Niagara,        .  . 

Arrival  of  the  Niagara  in  England, 
Pre'paration  of  the  Niagara  at  Portsmouth, 
The  Coiliiig  of  the  Cable,    .  .   , 

The  Niag^  and  Telegraph  Fleet  atJQnefinstown, 
^    Departure  of  the  8t[nadron  (or  Vamtia  Bay, 
The  Atlantic  ^«legraph  Plateau, 
The  Infusoria  of  the  Plateau; 
The  Great  Ocean  Cable, 
The  Paying-ou^  Maohiii^ry, 
The  Machinery  for  Winding-ill^ 


■/,-. 


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oowaam. 


*.  Stowage  of  OoOaon  the  Niagara, 

The  Cable  Guardg,         .  /  *  '  * 

*  iS^*  ^  ^*'*"^*  ®*^'  «n4.Triia  of  the  Maohinerv 
The  Laying  of  th«i  Cable  from  Valentia  Bay 
First  Day,  August  6,  .  .  ' 

Second  Day,    "      7,      . 
ThirdDay,      »      8*      *     .'    '  "-        ' 

«    Fourth  Day,    "     »,      . 

Fifth  Day,       "    10,  .  .      * 

.Sixth  Day,       "  ^n,     ,     '  '  ' 

fionnd  for  Plymouth,  .  * 

Arrival  at  Plymouth,     .         .. 
Thb  Skoond  ATLAimo  Tmbskaph  ExPEDmoH— 

The  Niagara  again  at  Plymouth,     . 

Inspection  of  the  Paying-out  Machine, 
■    The,  Telegraph  Squadron,    . 

The  Engineering  ind  Electrical  Corps, 

The^Coiling  Process  Illustrated, 

The  Cable  Circus,  the  Cone  and  Fairleadera, 
^  The  Coils,  &o.,  ou  the  Agamemnon, 

The  Coils,  <ko.,  on  the  Niagara, 

The  Cable  Guards,  .  ,  ,      '  ' 

The  Machine  that  hiid  the  Cable, 
The  Cable  Buoys,    . 

ExPEfflMENTAi,  TkIP  TO  THK  Bat  OF  BbBOAT 

Second  Day, 

ThirdDay,         .  "  '  " 

Mb.  Evamtir'a  Rkpobt  oh  thi  Patihokhjt  Uacbom, 
Uhbuoohotdl  ExptomoN  or  1868,     .  /^ 

Commencement  of  the  Work, 

The  Storm, 

Return  of  the  Squadron,  and  arriral  at  Qaeeortown, 
Td  Final  Expsdition  or  185a— » 

The  Cable  laid,  . 

Ceremony  of  Laying  the  Cable, 

Flrtt  Day,  July  28,       . 

Second  Day,  "   80, 
.^>   ThirdDay,    «'    81,        .     *      . 

Fourth  Day,  Augurt  1, 

'Sixth  Day,    "      «    8, 
Seventh  Day,      ««    4,^ 
Landing  of  the  Oabl^        .      . 
Eighth  Day,  August  B,  .  •     \ 
First  Announ<.«mAnf  that  th>  flaMn  ii  laid. 


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188 
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186 
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172 

.  174 

176 
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184 
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.  188 

190 
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198 

.  202 

204 

.  206 

208 
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840 
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240 
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807 

860 

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871 

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187 

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198 


•'it- 


OOHTKHTS. 

Founding  Niagara  City,  .  .  . 

Home  Echoes  of  the  Glad  Tidinga, 

Visit  to  the  Telegraph  Station, 

Departure  from  Triuitj  Bay,  and  arrival  at  8t.  Johns, 

Homeward  Bound,         .  .  .  .  . 

Arrival  of  the  Niagara  in  New  York, 

The  Queen's  Message,    .  .  .  . 

The  President's  Message,    .  .  . 

The  Niagara  as  she  i^peared  after  the  'Omise, 

OflScial  Reports,      ..... 

Beport  and  Log  of  the  Engineer,  W.  E.  Everett, 

Laying  and  Landing  the  Cable  oh  the  European  gM 


11 

rAOB 

281 


286 
.  291 

297 
.  298 

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800 
.  804 

814 
.  821 


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LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


rASB 

POBTRAIT  OF  CYEUS  W.  FIBLD, „ 

POBTBAIT  OF  W.  B.  EVEEETT,      .  .  .  .  .  .  .40 

POBTEAIT  OF  CAPT.  W.  L.  HUDSON, ;      ~^ 

ENTBANCE  TO  8T.  JOHN,  .  .  ,  .  ...  66 

SHOOTING  BOCK,  NEAB  ST.  JOHN,    .         *.  ,  ,  .  .  .  .       » 

HABB^B  OF  POBT  AU  BASQUE,  .......  SO 

TAKING  THE  BAFT  ABHOBE,  .  .  jj 

TAKING  THE  CABLEABHOBE,         .  .  .  j  .  .  «• 

THE  JAMES  ADGEE  AND  8ABAH  L.  BEfANT  LEA VJNO"  CAPE  BAT,     .  TO 

THE  VICTOEIA  TOWING  THE  SABAH  L.  BBYXKtt.**'    =^  .  .  !  .  78 

THE  NIAOABA  AND  TENDEE,  .  .•"""*.  .  .       H 

COXLING  SCENE  ON  BOABD  THE  NIAGABA, im 

HIGHLY  MAGNIFIED  INFU80EIA  TAKEN  FBOM  THE  TELEGRAPH  PI^TEAU  IM 
END  AND  SIDE  SECTIONS  OF  CABLE  AND  END  OF  SHOEE  CABLE.  ll» 

THE  PAYING-OUT  MACHINES Y, U, 

FBICTION  BBAKE  OF  PAYING-OUT  MAOHINB,  .  .        ■ .  .  IM 

THE  WINDING-IN  MACHINE, jjl 

SECTION  OF  THE  FBICTION  BEAKE; Xtt 

SECTION  OF  THE  NLAGABA  WITH  THE  CABLE  ON  BOABD.     .             .          .       IM 
BTEBN  OF  THE  NIAOABA,  SHOWING  CABLE  GUABD,    ....  U4 

8TEBN  AND  8UBMABINS  CABLE  GUABD  OF  THE  AGAMEMNON,  IW 

TALENTIA  BAT,  THE  EA8TEBN  TEBMINUB  OF  THE  ATLANTIC  TSLEGBAFH,  IW 
OOILINO  IN  A  CABLE  CIBCUS,  . llg 

■ACTION  OF  THE  NIAGABA,  8HOWINO  THE  STOWAGE  OF  THE  OOILS  IN  THE 

'        FOBE  PABT  OF  THE  SHIP, Igf 

THE  CABLE  CIBCUS,  T^  CONE  AND  FAIB-LEADSB8,  .  .  .  186 

BSOTION  OF  THE  AGAMEMNON,  WITH  CABLE  ON  BOABD,         .  .  .       181 

STEBN  GUABD  OF  THE  NLAGABA,        .......  188 

SECTIONAL  VIEW  OF  THE  NL&GABA,       ,  .  '        .  .  ,188 

STEBN  GUABD  of' THE  AGAMEMNON, 18( 

THE  PAYING-OUT  MACHINE, Ml 

THE  BBAKE  WHEEL  AND  ITS  CONNEOTIOS,         ...  ...  ]M 

SHOWING  THE  ACTION  OF  THE  BEAKS,  .  .  ,  .  .  .180 

FBONT  SECTION  OF  PAYINO-OUT  MACHINE,  .  .  .  IN 

SHEA TE  WHEEL  AND  TAB  BCBAPEBS,  .■•-...  .  m 

PAYING  OUT  THE  CABLE  DUBING  THE  TBIAL  TBIP,  ...  MO 

SPLICING  OF  CABLE,  .    ,' ,  .     nJ 

THE  AGAMEMNON  IN  THE  GALE  f  F  JUNE,  18B8  .         .  ■  -       .  Mi 

"imiimo  tstEOBAPH  doMPANTi  BtAf!0»1«^Sir    .       . — : TTm" 

NEW  YOKK  AND  NEWFOUNDLAND  TSLEGKAPH  STATION,    .  .  .  BU 


h   «f  * 


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■f 


'  ORIGIN  AND  HISTORY  OF  THE  ATLANTIC 
TELEGRAPH. 

In  1852  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Legislatare  of  Newfoundland,  in- 
corporating certain  parties  for  the  organisation  of  a  company  to  constmot 
a  telegraph  line  across  the  island,  extending   from  St.  Johns  on  the 
eastern  coast,  to  Cape  Ray  at  its  south-western  extremity.    Their  object 
was  to  place  New  York  and  every  city  of  the  United  States  and  British 
provinces  within  six  days'  communication  of  Europe,  for  the  idea  of  a 
submarine  telegraph  had  not  yet  taken  praetioal  form  and  shape.     The 
better  to  carry  this  plan  into  execution,  it  was  proposed  to  run  a  line  of 
Bteamers  froirf^  tJalway  in  Ireland  to  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland,  and  to 
send  the  intelligence  which, was  received  on  the  arrival  of  the  steamerB 
at  the  latter  port  to  Cape  Ray,  and  thence  by  a  small  steamer  connect- 
ing with  the  nearest  available  point  on  Cape  Breton,  from  which  it 
would  then  be  transmitted  by  the  land  lines  to  all  parts  of  the  continent 
pThis  cafcpany  failed,  however,  to  fulfil  the  terms  ^f  their  charter,  and 
finally  became  utterly  bankrupt,  leaving  some  fifty  thousand  dollars  un- 
paid, and  this  owing  chiefly  to  the  operatives  oi^  the  line.     While  the 
company  w«i  in  Ihis  insolvent   condition,  its  engineer,  Mr.  Fred.  N. 
Gisborne,  applied  to  Mr.  Matthew  D.  Field,  who  was  at  that  time  in 
New  York,  to  aid  them  in  procnrbg  a  loan  for  the  continuance  of  the 
>ijrork.      Mr.  Field  immediatehr  presented  the  subject  to  his  brothem 
Cyrus  W.  and  David  Dudley  Field,  and  urged  them  to  buy  bonds  of  llie 
dompany  ooovertible  into  stock,  or  to  subscribe  for  stock,  and  induce 
liheir  friends  to  do  the  same.     Mr.  Cyrus  Field  took  the  subject  into 
^amest  consideration,  and  struck  with  the  idea  of  establishing  telegraphic 
toommunication  between  Europe  and   America  by  a  submarine  cable 
^retching  from  Newfoundland  to  Ireland,  he  Wote  two  letters,  one  to 
Lieut.  Maury,  with  a  view  of  consulting  him  about  the  practioabili^ 
of  submerging  such  a  cable  between  the  points  proposed,  and  the 
bther  to  Profauor  Morse,  in  regard  to  the  electrical  diffioulties  of  tbo 
jundertaim^Tn  reply  to  these  letters  he  re<i«tinsiithffTBOBt  gratifying 
aMoranoeB  of  the  praotieability  of  the  scheme  from  both  these  hi|^ 


.■:l 


I 


if 


Si^'.,.t\;'..^'V'rf^K- 


A; 


14 


THB  OOKAN  TIXBOBAPH. 


sci^tifio  anthonties.     This  corre»pond«nce.  took  place  in  February  of 

«g  ^th  ough.     I«  reflecting  upon  the  pl.n  to  be  pursued,  they  caa.eTo 

number  of  persons,  m  order  to  secure  greater  unity  «,d  decision.  The 
foUow^g  gentlemen  w*re  accordingly  invited  to  Mr.  Field's  residence : 
Peter  Cooper,  Chandler  White,  Moses  Taylor,  and  Marshall  O  Roberts  ■ 
^d  We  we  will  lot  Mr.  David  Dudley  F.cld  relate  this  part  o^te 

"They  met  Mr.  Cyrus  W.  Field  and  myself  at  his  house  where 
^und  a  table  covered  with  *.ps,  pL«.s,  and  'estimates,  the  su^ect  w« 
fussed  for  four  successive  evenings,  the  practicability  if  the  undertaZ 

TheT  1;  ''t:'"''''^^'  '*"  "'''*'  '""^  '""^  ^^-^^  ^''^  accomplishment 
The  Jesuit  of  the  conference  ^as  the  agreement  of  all  'the  six  gentlemen 
to  enter  upon  the  undertaking.  Mr.  Cyrus  W.  Field,  Mr.  White,  and 
myself  were  to  proceed  to  Newfoundland  to  procure  a  charW,  and  such 
^i'^T'^  »"d  privileges  as  the  government  of  *at  islL  could  be 
educed  to  give.  Th  agreement  with  the  Electric  ^legraph'Company, 
and  Uie  formal  surrender  of  its  charter,  were  signed  on  the  10th  If 
M^ch,  and  on  the  14ti  we  left  New  York,  accompanied  by  MrGif 
W  The  n^t  morning  we  took  the  steamer  at  Boston  for  Halifax, 
«id  thence,  on  the  night  of  the  18th,  departed  in  the  little  steamer  Mer 
Un  for  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland.  Three  more  disagreeable  days  voy- 
^«  scarcely  ever  passed  than  we  spent  in  that  Zallest  of  steami 

nf  "^™.?*  ""  ^''"-^'""^  "°'"*'  *"  '^y  -•*'  ">»'  hail,  snow  and 
tempest,  were  the  greetings  of  the  telegraph  adventurers  in  their  first 
movement  towards  Europe.  In  the  darkest  nSght,  through  'which  no 
maa  could  see  the  ship's  length,  with  snow  filling  the  air  a^d  flying  into 
the  eyes  of  the  sailors,  with  ice  in  the  water,  and  a  heavy  sea  rolling  and 

wr"^..  Kr  ^  *'  r^*^"  ^'^'  ^''  ^*y  "«'^'i  C'^P^  »•««  with  hia 
kad^  aa  the  blind  man  ieels  his  way  with  his  staff,  but  as  confidently  and 

1?  ^  "  ^  *^«  «ky  ^f  been  clear  and  the  sea  c*n ;  and  the  light  of 
«ornmg  dawned  upon  deck,  and  mast,  and  spar  coated  with  glitLing 
^e  but  floating  securely  between  the  mountain,  which  fom»  Ae  gatet  ^ 
of^e  harbor  of  St  Johns.  In  that  busy  and  hospiUble  town,  uieC 
person  to  whom  we  were  introduced  ^«,  Mr.  Edward  M.  AroUbald, 
^en  Attorney  General  of  the  colony,  «d  now  British  Consul  in  New 
u  L  ^^"^  '""^^  ^"*"  <»"  "«'«.  ""d  from  that  day  to  thi« 
^^^reWre  i«trod»*«i  to  the  Governor  (Kerr  Bailey  HamiS),  whT^ 


i!     I  iM.        -^        ^  ■ 


pBGAmzATlOH  OF  TDK  COMPANY. 


-   15 


also  took  an  earneBt  interest  in  our  plans.     He  convoked  the  Council  to 
receive  us,  and  hear  an  explanation  of  our  views  and  wishes.     In  »  few 
hours  after  the  conference,  the  answer  of  the  Governor  and  Council  wa« 
received,  consenting  to  recommend  to  the  Assembly  a  guarantee  of  the 
interest  of  £50,000  of  bonds,  an  immedLaJe  grant  of  fifty  square  miles  of 
land,  ft  further  grant  to  the  same  extent' on  the  TOmpletion  of  the  tele; 
graph  across  thespccan,  and  a  payment  of  £5,000  towards  the  constrtfc- 
tion  of  a  bridle  path  across  the  island,  along  the  line  of  the  land  tele- 
graph.    Mr.  Cyrus  W.  Field,  thereupon,  on  tha  26th  of  March,  took  the 
return  steamer  from  St.  Johns,  on  his  way  to  New  York,  in  order  to  fit 
out  a  steamer  for  tho  service  of"  the  cpmpany,  while  his  two  associate* 
remained  in  Newfoundland,  to  obtain  the  charter  and  carry  out  the 
arrangements  with  the  former  company.     They  continued  there  nearly 
five  weeks,  during  which,  after  B(iany  discussions  and  negotiations,  the 
charter  was  at  length  obuined,  and  the  $50,000  6f  debt  of  the  old  com- 
pany was  thereupon  paid.      The  charter  was  liberal  and  provident 
After  declaring  thnt  it  was  '  advisable  to  establish  a  line  of  telegraphio 
commuuication  between  America  and  Europe,  by  way  of  Newfoundland,'  it 
incorporated  the  associates  for  fifty  years,  esUblished  perfect  equality 
in  respect  to  corporators  and  officers,  between    itizeos  of  the  United 
States  and  British  sribjects,  allowed  the  meetings  of  the  stockholders  and 
directors  to  be  held  in  New  York,  or  in  Newfoi  idland,  or  in  Londoni 
conceded  the  exclusive  right  to  establish  a  telegraph  from  the  continent 
of  America  to  Newfoundland,  across  the-  ocean,  granted  fifty  square 
miles  of  land ;   and,  further,  provided  that '  so  soon  as  the  said  company 
shall  have  actually  established  a  communication  across  the  Atlantic 
ocean,  by  means  of  a  submarine  cable  or  wire  from  this  island,  the  said 
company  shall  receive  from  the  government  of  this  island  a  grant  of 
fifty  square  miles  of  ongranted  and  unoccupied  wilderness  land,  to.  be 
selected  by  the  said  company,  in  addition  to  the  grants  hereinbefore  men- 
tioned,' a  provision  subsequently  extended,  so  as  to  permit  the  company, 
to  establirfi  the  communication  by  an  auxiliary  or  associate  company. 
In  the  early  part  of  May,  the  two  gentlemen  who  had  remained  behind 
in  Newfoundland  rejoined  their  associates  in  New  York,  and  there  the 
charter  was  formally  accepted  and  the  company  organised.     As.  all  the 
Bssociatefl  had  not  arrived  till  Saturday  evenings  tlieJ^th  of  May,  W»d  as 
one  of  them  was  to  leave  town  on  the  morning  of  Monday,  it  was  agreed 
that  we  should  meet  for  organization  at  sii  o'clock  of  that  day.   At  that 
hour  they  came  to  my  house,  and  as  the  first  rays  of  the  morning  sun  stream- 
ed into  the  windows,  the  formal  organisation  took  place.     The  charter 
—  was  aco6pt«d,  &«  stock  subscribed,  aad  Uie^&ea|BfcflfleB.   Mr.  Ooiqpfl^ 
Mr.  Taylor,  Mr.  Field,  Mr.  Roberts  and  Mr.  ^^K  wei 


were  tiie  first 


W 


'tl 


'%'  '^ 


W    .  sit.',  vl^'J 


16 


rax  OOKAH  TELKQS4PH. 


"««  mad.,  ..d  th.  work  Wm     m^J^t"?" '°"°"''  ""  "  ™°«'^ 

-WW  first  to  be  mado      Th!«  »7     °P''a«'8  »<  four  hundred   mllea 

and  trarersable  4aie  road  ,il7lT.  '^  *"**  ""'""«'  '  »  «"o<l 

width/  had  t<^  be  J  d'the  ^  ,flr'^'  "'^'^  ''"'^«^''  "^  *'«'  «-« 
visions  h«Mr  to  ba  transLrted  fi  °  /  ^i  '^'"'  ""*"■'"'''  *"^  ^'^ 
different  ba^  on  ^0!  Wn  ^^^^^^^^^  */  *"«  ^'-^^  of'th« 

baokH  to  the  lino  of  road      The  Zf '         xf   ^T"'^'  '^'*^^^  «"  "'™'«' 
directed  in  pe«on  the  0 'mbt     hi  ^'"  T  T''*''  "  ^'"^  P"--'*^-*' 
tendonts  were  sent  down      iradVT^J  ""^  '^''^  ^^^^  «"P^''-in- 
land.  another  of  one  hundred  and    "-"       .  "'  ""'  "  ^^'"'«'^''^- 

structed,  and  contlt  „!!.       tt  ^  ""^'^  ?  ^*P^  »'''*•«  ^-»  «o„. 
•^  Brun^wi  k,  M^eXlrtn      t  "T""^  ^     ^''^'^   Scotia,   New 
^ew  yor.%  J:'J1^«  ^''^^  and 

there  was  the  submarine  bn«  W  xr  _!  ^«»»dland  line.     Then 

eigbtj-five  n^ile^ 'r Zl       ^       ."  Newfoand\nd  and  Cape  Breton^ 

n.\^iand  s^i:Lr^:''iT:::'jiT  f^:--'  --^^  ^-^- 

CyruB  W.  Field  visited  fZ\Ta!^  To\,;ooure  these  Mr. 

again  in  Jan  Jy  "^  i  /  *^'^«-«»"«  ^-  ^^e^ber  1854,  and 
a^sstheG^of  8fLa2lcfl*"T  ^^  '"^^  ^*^>marine' line 
f«l.  A  second  attempt  mZtl'  T  '"  ^-^''  *"^  ^V^nsueees,- 
Pleted  the  chain  ^^deZnlt  v  ^' v ''"'"^^"'-  '^""^^'^  ««"" 
Newfoundland  and  the  frofl  ^"^  ^'^"^  *«  '^'  «»«*«™  ^O""*  of 

lantie  in  their^fs  1^^  """  "^^'  "^"^  ''^  ^^^  «^  *^«  ^t- 

-amounting  to  iTthTn  wt  h    ;'^.";r''  **■'  '"«*^'  contributions      ^ 
and  Mr.  Cooper  Mr    T.vl    *^"  ^r^--^^  *'>°'"-«d  dollars  in  monej- 

other  eontribSsbelT^^^;^^^  ^0 

cept  Professor  Moi^'Mr  tC  w' T      T'""'*^  ^''^  """»"'  - 
•ad  Mr.  John  W  ^Z     S«  r  »    .  ^°''''"''  *^''-  ^"^'"^  ^-  ^unt.         ' 


P    y  thus  far.  the  Tanoo.  negotiations,  the  plan  of  the  wWk.  the 


OBOAlIMATlOir  or  THB  (X>MPAinr. 


vr 


oTeraight  of  ita  execution,  and  the  oorrespondenoe  whh  th«  officers  and 
others,  mainlj  devolved  upon  Mr.  Gjma'W.  Fieltb 

"  The  greatest  and  roost  difficult  part  of«ihe  original  design  atill 
remained  to  be  executed,  and  that  was  the  submarine  cable  from  New- 
foundland to  Ireland.  The  distance  was  1,950  statute  miles;  the  s«k 
was  stormy  and  uncertain ;  no  submarine  line  of  more  than  three  hun- 
dred miles  had  then  been  attempted.  In  anticipation  of  the  task  now 
to  hej  undertaken,  Mr.  Field,  on  his  first  visit  to  England  in  1864,  had 
invifed  manufacturers  to  funtish  him  with  specimens  of  cable  which 
theji  would  recommend,  and  estimates  of  its  cost,  and  he  had  entered 
ii^ttj  correspondence  with  various  persons  on  ^he  subjaol  In  1856,  he 
pr(^red  an  order  from  our  government  under  which  Lieutenant  Berry- 
ma^  made  80undit)g8  of  the  Atlantic  between  Newfoundland  and  Ireland. 
Lieutenant  Berryman  sailed  on  that  service  on  the  18th  of  July,  add 
the  next  day  Mr.  Field  sailed  for  England,  hairing  received  the  formal 
ooiSj3nt  of  the  coinpany  to  make  arrangements  in  England  for  th^^mb; 
marine  line,  either  by  a  Bubscriptiim  to  this  company,  or  by  organising' 
a  new  company  as  auxiliary  or  associated  with  this.  In  England  he 
had  invited  the  co-operation  of  Mr.  Brett,  a  gentleman  of  great  experi- 
ence, who  in  ,1851  formisd  a  company  which  had  laid  tbo  first  submarine 
cable  from  England  to  France,  fie  afterwards  brought  in  Il|r.  Edward 
O.  W.  Whitehouse,  electrician,  and  Mr.  Charles  T.  Bright,  engineer — 
both  gentlemen  ef  high  scientific  attainments.  These  four  gentlemen 
on  the  29th  of  September,  1856,  entered  into  »  formal  agreement  to 
use  thdir  exertions  for  the  formation  of  a  new  company,  to  be  called 
the  Atlantic  Telegraph  Company ;  the  object  of  which  should  .be  '  to 
continue  the  existing^ line  of  the  New  York,<Newfonndland  and  Lob^ 
Telegraph  Cod\pany  to  Ireland,  by  making  or  causing  to  be  made,  a 
submarine  telegraph  cable  for  tite  Atlantic'  This  doine,  Mr.  Field 
issued  on  the  1st  of  November,  1856,  a  circular  signed  by  him,  as  Vice 
President  of  the  .New  York,  Newfoundhmd  and  Londoi^  Telegrafh 
•  Company." 

The  following  is  the  circular  referred  to  by  Mr.  Field: 


THB  ATLAKTIC  TELEGRAPH. 

<  Fiftcen^^ears  have  barely  elapsed  since  the  saooess  of  the  first  line 
of  electric  telegraph  demonstrated  the  immense  practical  importaoee  of 
that  invention.  ~  . 

'Its  rapid  adq>tion  by  almost  every  civilised  nation,  already  givw 
peoaaat^  eve&  greater  ^ingrtiiRn  it  he  yet  kOCompl^ndwArte^ 
theranoe  of  social  and  commercial  interoonrse.  •- 


\ 


M'^ 


u 


THE  OOKAN  TSLCOBAm. 


^ 


•  It  IB,  howerer,  only  withm  the  but  ire  jean  tUt'prMtioal  m«n  ham 
Knmgkt  out  roooeurfully  the  application  of  the  a«ne  principles  to  the 
■till  later  problem  of  the  iubmarine  telegraph. 

'Surrouaded  by  every  Bpwjieebfsdiffioulty  which  besete  a  new  and 
antrkd  path,  Mr.  Brett,  with  the  aid  of  a  few  aeMoiates^  aohiered  in 
1861  his  firat  niooeM  in  the  electric  union  of  Franoe  and  England. 

'  The  result  of  this  d^iaive  experiment,  {aV9r»ble  alike  in  ita  national, 
commercial,  aooial,  and,  thoii|^  last  not  least,  in  Us  rwnuMratiTe  aapeota, 
has  been  nich  aa  to  diaarm  all  prejadioe,  and  to  enooorage  a  desire  for 
the  otmost  possible  eztetaion  of  similar  udertakings. 

•  England-is  now  united  by  siz  dqptiaot  submarine  cables  to  adjaoent 
ooasts,  and^Ather  eountries  hare  not  been  slow  to  catch  her  spirit  Of 
enterpr^  in  this  important  application  4>f ,  soience  to  the  wants  of 


*  America  alone,  the  greatest  and  most'  progihMRre  of  all  the  nations 
wit^  whom  we  have  interoourse,  has  hitlwrto  been  debarred  from  partici- 
pating with  us  Wthe  adTantages  of^Hrio  ifitercommunioation,  >hile 
the  daily  increasing  re^oirements  oT'lhe  two  nations  render  such  an 
inrtitntion  more  th«n  ever  necessary  to  the  well-bebg  of  both. 

'  The  genius  of  science  and  Uie  spirit  of  oonpneroe  alike  demand,  that 
the  obstacles  of  geogn^rfiicai  position  and  distance  alone  shall  no  longer 
prevent  the  accomplishment  of  such  a  union. 

^Under  the  infinence  of  those  considerations,  the  subject  of  esUblidiing 
a  telegraph  to  America  has  been  largely  and  anxiously  studied  on  both 
^mli9i|  of  the  A^t&tic. 

A*!^  •  The  oveful  aad  elaborate  investigations  of  Lieutenant  Maury,  of 
liwU.  81  Navy^bito  the  phyucal  geography  of  the  sea,  threw;} 
lij^t  upon  what  had  been  soj^posed  to  constitute  the  chief  et  '^^ 
difficulties  of  such  an  enterpfise.  Hi4|Mtf  and  accurate  d^ 
the  currents  of  the  oceui,  and  the  tonndings  of  the  Ajtland 
inpeifBetly  known  previous  to  his  researohes^haTe  developec 
ordinary,  utd,  to  speak  with  reverence,  a  providential  fitet 
co^itiflps  to  be  ebi^y  desired  for  the  successful  jrabmersion  of  a  tele* 
»bsenoe  of  currents  interfering. with  the  steady. 
'  a  level  bottom  with  a  stratum  likely  to  remain 
for  fts  subsequent  security  and  preservation. 
fi^l^Uuidatod  for  {Ailosophio  objects  other 
sei(|P^liave  been  showii  to  exist  in  ft>remar]D> 
[lagtiB  t^vighdut  a  pUun  extending  between  the  coasts  of  Ireland 
•■d  Newfoandland;  whiob  possesses  the  additioaal  advantage  of  beiqg 
Afl  shortest  yossiblft  route  betweaa  tibe  Aotea  of  the  Old  and Hew^^^^ 
Worlds,     So  marked,  indeed,  are  those  featares,  and  so  &vorable  is 


I 


Ki 


\ 


-Suri^isa.  -^    V>"t4  lW'<^«t  ■«*»•  -v^rt  .• 


1 


^ 


-  / 


OEOAHIZATIOH   OP  TUB   COMPANY. 


If 


their  boaring  ■'ifU  t^  great  project,  tkat  they  seomed  to  (h«  diacorerer 
at  the  t{M|aW^raudential,  at)  to  jiwtify  hia  denignation  of  it  aa  th« 
Telcgtfi|Ulr||te4||{J*  <<» 

(i-<J*P  wlip^y  cuirent  wliioh  takes  its-riito  in  thaOulf  of  Mexico,  and 
'fH  mnflipnrd  an  far  an  the  banks  6f  Newfoundland,  washes  the  eastoro 
■es  of  the  United  States  with  great  for(!e ;  and  the  piceoipitoua  hollows 
iting  in  >it8  course  would  render  a  route  to  the  south  of  the  banks  , 
impracUeaMe  for  telegraphic  purposes.  Immediately  to  the* north  of 
tho  great  ban|ii  these  abysses  oease  to  exist.  Stretching  away  in  Ik 
direct  line  firom  St.  Johns,  Newfoundfand;  to  the  bay  of  Valentia,  on 
the  Irish  coast,  lies  the  vasi-sub-ooeanio  glain  already^  referred  to,  which 
is  situated  in  the  line  of  nearly  absolute  rest  of  the  waters  of  the 
Atlantic,  the  bed  of  which  has  been  sbown,  by  the  specimens  obtained 
on  sounding,  to'lcousist  throughout  of  the  most  minute  microscopic  shelli^^ 
which,  from  their  delicate  organism  aAd  the  perfect  state  in  wbicb  tliey 
are  founds  pri^e  the  utter  absence  of  all  motion  in  the  water  surrounding 
them.  To  use  the  words  of  tho  highest  authority  on  the  subject,*— 
*'  this  plateau  is  not  too  deep  for  the  cable  to  sink  down  and  rest  upon, 
and  yet  not  po  shallow  that  currents  or  icebergs  or  any  abrading  foroe 
can  deritnge  the  wire  after  it  is  once  lodged  upon  it." 

'  In  April,  1854,  a  company  was  incorporated  by  act  of  tbe  Colonial 
Legislature  of  Newfoundland  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  line  of 
telegra{Shio  communication  l)etweea  America  and  Europe.  That  gov- 
emaient  evinced  the  warmest  interest  in  the  undertaking,  and  in  order 
to  mark  substantially  their  sense  of  its  importance,  and  their  desire  to 
give  to  it  all  the  aid  and  encouragement  in  their  power,  they  conferred 
upon  it,  in  addition  to  important  privileges  of  grants  of  land  and  subsidy, 
tbe  Bole,|^d  exclusive  right  of  landing  telegraphic  lines  on  the  shorei 
thin^heir  jurisdictibn,  comprising,  in  addition  to  those  of  Newfound- 
land,'the  whole  Atlantic  coast  of  Labrador  from  the  entrance  of  Hudson's 
Straits  to  the  Straits  of  Belle  Isl^  This  act  of  the  Colonial  Legislature 
was  subsequently  ratified  and  confirmed  by  Her  Majesty ^a  Government 
at  home.  The  company  also  obtained  in  May,  1854,  an  exolnsivcr 
charter  from  the  government  of  Prinee  Edward's  Island,  and  afterlTarda ' 
from  the  State  of  Maine,  and  a  oharter  for  telegraphic  operations  ia 
Cuiada. 

'  The  exclusive  rights  abwlutdy  necessary  for  the  encouragement 
of  an  undertaking  of  this  nature,  having  thus  been  Mcured  along  the 
only  seaboard  eligible  for  the  western  terminas  of  a  Knropean  and 
Ameriflan  o»Ue,  the  eopnpaay  in  the  first  iutanoe  opmmenee4  •psratiou 


-Y-, 


«  MauryVi  P^nsal  Qeograpl^  of  the  Sea,  p.  25A. 


i^ 


%■ 


¥' 


"kr^ 


v'-^.     .0 


20 


THK  OCEAN  TELEORAPH. 


).-> 


by  prooeedtog  to  connect  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland,  with  tW  widely 
g  ramified  telegraph  system  of  the  Bntish -North  American  provinces  and 
the  United  Stotes.  This  has  been  recently  completed  by  the  subraer- 
sion  of  two  cables  in  connection  with  their  land  lines :  one,  eighty-five 
miles  in  length,  under  the  waters  of  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  from- 
Cape  Ray  Core,  Newfoundland,  to  Ashpee  Bay,  Cape  Breton ;  the 
other,  of  thirteen  miles,  across  the  Straits  of  Northumberland,  connecting 
Prince  Edward's  Island  with  New  Brunswick.  Electric  communication 
is  thus  established  direct  from  Newfoundland  to  all  the  British  American 
Colonies  and  the  United  States. 

'  On  the  Irish  side,  lines  of  telegraph  hare  been  for  some  time  in  ope- 
ration throughout  the  country,  and  are  connected  with  England  wd  the 
Continent  by  submarine  cables.  The  only  remaining  link  in  this 
electric  chain,  required  to  coinneot  the  two  hemispheres  by  telegraph,  is 
the  Atlantic  cable. 

'  The  New  York,  Newfoundland,  and  Londtn  Telegraph  Company 
being  desirous  that  this  great  undertaking  should  be  established  on  a 
broad  and  national  basis,  uniting  the  interests  of  the  telegraph  world  on 
both  sides  of  the  Atlantic, -have  entered  into  alliance  with  persons  of 
importwnoe  and  influence  in  the  tolegrapliio  affairs  of  Great  Britain : 
and  in  order,  at  the  same  time,  to  obtain  th6  fullest  possible  information 
before  entering  upon  tha  crowning  effort  of  their  labors,  they  have  exir 
deavored  to  concentrate  upon  the  various  departments  of  the  undertaking 
Ae  energies  of  men  of  the  highest  acknowledged  standing  in  their  pro- 
fession, and  of  others  eminently  fitted  for  the  work,  who  were  known  to 
have  deveM  much  time  and  attention  to  the  jsubjeot 

'  Thfr^route  between  the  two  shores  had  already  been  minutely  sur- 

^^Teyed  bj  Lieutenant  Maury,  whose  name  alone  amongst  nautical  men  is 

-  :  'a  Bufficient  guarantee  for  the  accuracy  of  the  results  obtained,  and  whose 

personal  counsel  and  co-operation  the  promoters  are  authorised  to  say 

■    ■  wilL  Up  given  to  the  undertaking  in  bringing  it  to  completion. .,  The 

daU  obtained  by  him  have  received  the  most  ample  oorroboiatiob 

in  the  recent  special  soundings  taken  by  order  of  the  United  Statds 

GovemmiBnt,  at  the  mstanoc  of  the  New  York,  Newfoundland,  and  London 

Telegraph  Company,  by  Lieutenant  Berryman,  U.  S.  steamer  "  Atctic," 

whose  valuable  and  able  assistance  the  company  wish  to  acknowledge. 

'  It  is  with  the  highest  satisfaction  that  tlte  company  are  able  to  refer 
to  the  aid  which  Her  Majesty's  Government  are  inclined  to  give  to 
their  labors.  A  line  of  soundings  taken  at  spoU  intermediate  between 
those    effected    by  Lieutenant   Berryman,   has  bewi  ordered   bj  Jhfi  1 


LordB  of  the  Admiralty  to  be  made  fori Wltl^ ;  and  the  readinas^^^M^^^ 
cordiality  with  which  every  suggestion  on  the  part  of  the  promoters 


./, 


ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  OOHPANY. 


21 


has  been  met  by  their  Lordships,  and   by  those  at  the  head   of  the 
several  departments,  call  for  the  warmest  thanks  of  all  concerned  in  the  ' 
undertaking. 

'  In  th(s  enginfeering  department,  advantage  will  again  be  taken  of 
Lieutenant  Maury's  invaluable  advice  in  connection  with  the  laaohinery 
employed  in  paying  out  the  cable,  and  of  the  co-operation  of  others  who 
have  carried  out  the  submersion  of  -the  submarine  lines  already  laid. 
The  soundings  of  the  ocean  along  the  plateau,  which  gradually  increase 
from  1,000  fathoms  to  2,070  fathoms  at  the  middle  and  deepest  part, 
present  no  obstacle  in  depositing  a  cable  with  regularity  along  a  soft 
and  almost  level  plain  of  such  a  nature— and  the  question  of  submerging 
a  cable  in  depths  ahnost  equal,  and  under  less  favorable  conditioM,  has 
been  already  surmounted  without  difficulty. 

'  In  order  to  determine  various  points  connected  with  the  electrical 
department  of  the  undertaking,  a  continued  investigation  of  all  the  phe- 
nomena conrifected  with  the  use  of  long  submarine  circuits  has  been 
carried  on  during  the  lapt  two  years;  and'  Professor  Morse,  who  baa 
recently  visited  England- iias,  for  many^days  consecutively,  gone  into 
a  rigid  series  of  demonstrations  on  this  subj^t  in  connection  -^ith  those 
gentlemen  who  have  devoted  so  much  energy  and  patience  to  this  de- 
partment of  the  work.  He  declares  his  conviction  that  the  problem  is 
conclusively  solved,  and  that  the  attainment  of  full  commercial  success 
is  no  longer  doubtful 

'  It  may  be  mentioned  here,  that  the  possibility  of  readily  and  rapidly 
transmitting  telegraphio  signals  beyond  a  certain  distance  by  sub- 
marine wires,  had  been  thrown  into  some  doubt  by  the  discovery  of  cer- 
tain phenomena  of  induction  and  retardation,  described  by  Professor 

Faraday. 

« In  the  year  1854,  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  Br^tt,  Mr.  Wildman  White- 
house  first  took  up  the  subject  of  the  effects -of  induetion  Jin  long  sub- 
marine conductors,  in  its  relation  to  practical  telegraphy,  by  commen- 
cing a  serioB  of  preliminary  experiments  upon  a  cable  containing  680 
milej  of  submarine  wire.  In  the  following  year,  when  the  great  project 
of  Transatlantic  communication  cnme  more  prominently  ii^to  view,  these 
experiments  were  continued  more  fully  on  1,126  miles  of  similar  wire, 
the  results  being  obtained  and  recorded  with  the  utmost  care  and 
accuracy,  by  means  of  apparatus  contrived  for  the  purpcse,  and  new  both 
in  character  and  principle.  Several  facts  of  the  highest  importance  to 
electrical  science,  and  of  the  moat  encouraging  oAture  as  regards  the 
.j^dertaking,  were  thus  determined ;  and  in  a  still  more  extended  seriea 
-_of  flxperltnegtB  thia-  year  on  1)020  miles,  conducted  oonjointfy  by  Mr. 


!  ; 


Ll 


Whitehouse  and  Mr.  Bright,  Engineer  to  the  Magnetic  Tel«^raph  Oom- 


"11 


.:.!■« 


t-:i 


%' 


82 


THE  OatAS  TELBQnkVB, 


pwiy,  these  two  gentkmcn  have  been  enabled  to  rcaliie  and  amplify 
every  prerioHs  encouraging  reasU,  and  at  the  same  time  to  perfect  in- 
struments  suitable  for  pre  aical  ilegraphio  use,  and  capable  of  working 
through  almost  unlimited  lengths  of  submarine  wire.  Hie  size  of  the 
conducting  wire  repaired  for  such  distant  (^rations  has  formed  the 
flubjeot  of  special  inquiry  with  these  gentlemen.  They  have  finally 
established  a  claim  to  »he  fiMremqet  position  in  the  soientifie  department 
of  the  undertaking,  by  praotioally  demonstrating  tp  Professor  Morse  and 
others,  on  an  unbroken  length  of  over  2,000  nfles  of  subterranean  wire, 
the  fact  of  telegrai^io  operatiwis  carried  on  with  an  amount  of  aoouraoy 
and  at  a  speed  whicA  determines  at  once  the  certainty  of  full  oommeroial 
succcsa.    * 

'  Nothing  can  be  more  satisfactory  than  the  reaolt  of  thcffe  e»perimen- 
tal  demonstrations,  which  have  been  verified  by  Professor  Morse,— prov- 
ing, as  they  do— First,  that  telegraphic  signals  can  be  transmitted  with- 
out difficulty  through  the  required  distance ;  8ec<mdly,  that  a  large 
conducting  wire  is  not  required  for  the  purpose ;  and  Thirdly,  that*the 
communication  can  be  effected  at  a  thortMighly  satisfactory  speed. 

'  All  the  points  having  a  direct  practical  bearing  on  any  part  of  the 
undertaking  have  thus  been  subjected,  to  a  close  and  rigid  scrutiny;  and 
the  result  of  this  examinatito  proving  to  be  in  ev^y  respeet  of  the  most 
favorable  character,  it  remained  only  that  those  poesessing  the  leqoired 
power  should  take  the  initiative. 

•  The  New  York,  Newfoundhmd,  and  London  Tel^raph  Company, 
possessing,  in  virtue  oi  their  charter,  all  the  necessary  powers,  deputed 
their  vice  president  to  visit  £n^d  in  the  summer  of  the  jwesent  y»a*; 
and  they  gave  him  full  authority  to  make  on  their  behalf  such  arrange- 
ments as  should  seem  to  him  best  fitted  to  corry  fwward  the  great 
•work. 

'  Tlie  oatlme  oi  the  formation  of  the  "  Atkntio  Tcl^raph  Company  " 
•uffioiently  expkins  the  nature  of  these  arrangements. 

'  The  expenditure  to  be  inoorred  in  carrying  out  the  undertaking .  is 
amall,  compared  with  the  magnitude  and  the  naUonal  importance  of  the 
work. 

'  The  Projeetoni  oonfident)^  anticipate  having  the  caU«  oiHupleted  io 
time  to  lay  it  in  the  suinmer  <^  1857,  and  under  any  oircumstanoos,  not 
later  than  the  spring  of  1868.  It  is  proposed  to  employ  two  steamships 
in  the  submeraioD,  each  laden  with  half  the  oable,  and  that  they  s^all 
proeeed  tttgether  to  a  point  half  way  between  the  two  coasts.  The  two 
ends  of  the  cable  having  been  carefully  joined  together,  the  vessels  will 
■tart  in  opposite  direotiona,  one  towards  IreUnd  and  the  other  towards  , 
Ke wfdoMdli&S;  lihoolirng  i&6a6Ii~ra3^Mcluuaging  signals  1^^       It^ 


■'•■Kr-*wvSLi^-»'.^tac--lis-v:^'ff  *.* w  v*  f?   ■■';'»:f.'i'':.^':  nr  ilP"'.'    !<■'■.'. 


?•■  ;j--*ii1^J.'i 


OEGANIZATION  OF  TIIB  COMPANY. 


38 


from  ship  to  ship  as  they  proceed.  By  this  means,  the  period  ordin«r% 
required  for  traversing  the  distance  between  the  two  coasts  will  !»  1««- 
gened  by  one-half,  each  vessel  having  only  to  cover  820  nautical  bbUm  in 
order  to  finish  the  task  assigned  to  it.  It  is  expected  that  the  opei»tion 
of  laying  the  cable  will  be  completed,  in  about  eight  days  from  the  time  of 
its  commencement. 

It  is  uo  less  fortunate  than  remarkable  that  the  greatest  depth  and 

difficulty  win  thus  be  encountered  first ;  hence,  should  any  accident 

oj^T,  it  can  only  involve  the  loss  of  a  very  few  miles  of  cable;  this 

■**>  safely  accomplished,  the  progress  of  the  vessels  in  the  process  of 

\'Sncrsion  will  be  hourly  attended  with  less  and  less  difficulty  and 

♦jjjtilk. 
*  "^      Tie  grandeur  of  the  undertaking  constitutes  a  sufficient  guarantee  for 

its  commercial  success  when  carried  out;  as,  in  addition  to  the  great 
use  of  the  cable  by  the  governments  oh  each  side  of  the  Atlantic,  and  in 
ordinary  social  intercourse,  it  will  constitute  the  chief  medium  through 
which  all  the  important  business  transactions  between  the  Old  and  New- 
World  will  be  effected.  The  transmission  of  intelligence  for  the  press 
in  both  Continents  will  also  form  a  moslj  important  feature  of  its  use- 
fulness. 

It  will  readily  be  admitted  that  the  number  of  messages  at  present 
passed  along  the  wires  to  or  from  a  single  capital  like  London,*  where 
the  rapidity  of  railway  transit  renders  the  Post  Office  a  powerful  com- 
petitor, will  scarcely  constitute  any  criterion  of  the  probable  amount  of 
traffic  through  a  cable  affording  the  only  rapid  means  of  communication 
between  two  vast  and  civilized  Continents,  and  which  in  its  operation 
will  shorten  the  period  of  an  interchange  of  correspondence  almoat  from 
a  month  to  an  hour,  and  to  which  the  whole  of  both  networks  of  tele- 
graph lines,  already  established  throughout  Europe  and  America, 
amounting  to  not  lesa  than  100,000  miles,  will  act  as  feeders.  A  very 
limited  number  of  commercial  messages  forwarded  from  each  side  daUy^ 
occupying  the  cable  but  a  few  hours,  wUl(  without  any  other  souroea  of 
revenue,  produce  a  large  return  on  the  Entire  capital 

The  difference  of  longitude  between  the  two  Continents  preeents 
another  important  consideration  connected  with  the  advantageous  work- 
ing of  the  line;  for,  owing  to  the -time  in  America  being  nearly  fire 
hours  later  than  in  Europe,  the  whole  of  the  business  messages  of  the 
day  transmitted  fr<Mn  this  side  between  10  a.m.  and  8  p.m.  will  hare 
arrived  in  America  by  the  time  the  mercantile  community  in  the  rariouB 

•  Not  less  th»a  8,000  jiessages  are  trammitted  la  and  out  of  London,  and  a 

-htgftntvmbtf  m*ai-wat-ot£ia*Y6xk,iaiif^ — — -  - 


THB  OCEAN  TELEGRAPH. 


dttes  and  towns  throughout  the  New  World  hare  commenced  businesa, 
and  the  cable  be  thus  perfectly  clear  for  the  return  flow  of  messages  to 
Europe. 

Whilst,  however,  the  revenue  of  such  a  line  must,  on  the  lowest 
estimate,  be  exceedingly  remunerative,  the  working  expenses,  being 
limited  to  the  two  terminal  stations,  will  necessarily  be  very  small. 
Undflr  such  circumstanc&j,  it  appears  difficult  to  over-estimate  the  com- 
mercial returns  that  will  accrue  from  this  undertaking. 

\        (Signed)  Cybcs  W.  Pikld, 

Vice-President  of  the  New  Tork,  Newfoundland,  ant! 
London  Telegraph  Company. 

Jfwtmber  Itt,  1866. 

,"  Without  waiting  for  the  formation  of  the  new  company,"  continues 
Mr.  Field,  "my  brother,  on  behalf  of  the  Newfoundland  Company, 
made  application  to  the  BritisJi  government  for  its  aid  in  ships  and 
money,  and  received  on  the  20th  of  November  a  letter  from  the  Treas- 
ury, which  I  am  tempted  to  read,  promising  sliips  to  assist  in  laying 
the  cable,  and  a  fixed  yearly  sum  in  payment  for  government  messages. 
He  also  personally  solicited  bankers  and  merchants  in  London  for  sub- 
scriptions, and,  with  Mr.  Brett,  viwted  Liverpool  and  Manchester  to 
address  public  meetings.  He  subscribed  £100,000  toward^  the  papital 
of  £350,000,  and  Mr.  Brett  followed  with  a  subscription  of  £25,000. 
A  day  or  two  after  the  Treasury  letter  was  received,  the  subscriptions 
were  closed,  when  it  was  found  t^t  the  applications  for  stock  exceeded 
the  Capitol  by  about  £30,000,  so  that  on  the  final  allotment  Mr.  Field 
had  eighty-eight  shares  and  Mr.  Bre^  twelve." 

The  Treasury  letter  referred  to,  reads  aa  follows : 

_  ,   ».  Tb«a80BT  ChahMrs,  November  20,  1856. 

SiH  :  Having  laid  before  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  her  Majesty's 
Treasury  your  letter  of  the  13th  ultimo,  addressed  to  the  Earl  of  Clar- 
endon, requesting,  on  behalf  of  the  New  York,  Newfoundland;iind  Lon- 
don Iclegraph  Comnanv,  certain  privileges  and  protection  in  regard  to 
the  line  of  telegraph  which  it  is  proposed  to  establish  between  New- 
foundland and  Ireland,  I  am  direijted  by  their  lordships  to  acquaint  you 
that  they  are  prepared  to  enter  into  a  contract  with  the  said  Telegraph 
Company,  based  upon  the  following  conditions,  vii. : 

nh  ^i"  h  ™"<^«"*o<xi  tl»at  the  capital  required  to  lay  down  the  line 
wiU  be  (£350,000)  throe  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  pounds. 

2.  Her  Majesty's  Government  engage  to  furnish  the  aid  of  ships  to 
take  what  soundings  may  still  be  considered  needful,  or  to  verify  those 
already  taken,  and  favorably  to  consider  any  request  that  may  be  made 
=^TOreis&  md^^y^eir  yeMeffWTipbg  down  the  cMe. — 


fi 


OEGANIZATION  OF  THE  COMPANY. 


^   '    25 


3.  The  British  GovernmeDt,  from  the  time  of  the  completion  of  the 
line,  and  so  long  aa  it  shall  continue  in  working  order,  undertakes  to 
pay 'at  the  rate  of  (£14,000)  fourteen  thousand  jpound^  a  .year,  being 
at  the  rate  of  four  per  cent,  on  the  assumed  capital,  as  a  fixed  reipuner- 
ation  for  the  work  done  on  behalf  of  the  Government,  in  the  convey- 
ance outward  and  homeward  of  their  messages.  This  payment  to  con- 
tinue until  the  net  profits  of  tlie  company  are  equal  to  a  dividend  of  six 
pounds  per  cent.,  when  the  payment  shall  be  reduced  to  (£10,000)  ten 
thousand  pounds  a  year,  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years. 

It  is,  however,  understood  that  if  the  Government  messages  in  any 
y«ar  shall,  at  the  usual  tariff-rate  charged  to  the  public,  amount  to  a 
larger  sum,  such  additional  payment  shall  be  made  as  is  equivalent 

thereto.  .    .      .     ,        ^ 

4.  That  the  British  Government  shall  have  a  priority  in  the  convey- 
ance of  their  messages  over  all  others,  subject  to  the  exception  only  of 
the  Government  of  the  United  States,  in  the  evenfDf  their  entering  into 
an  iirrangement  with  the  Telegraph  Company  similar  in  principle  to 
that  of  the  British  Government,  in  which  case  the  messages  of  the  two 
Govcrnmenjts  shall  have  priority  in  the  order  in  which  they  arrive  at 

the  stations.  ,       ,     ,  u  at. 

5.  That  the  tariff  of  charges  shall  be  fixed  with  the  consent  of  the 
Treasury,  and  shall  not  be  increased,  without  such  consent  being  ob- 
tained, as  long  at  this  contract  lasts. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

Jahes  Wilson.' 
Cyrcs  W.  FiKLD,  Esq.,  37  Jermyn  street. 

"  Too  much  praise  cannot  be  awarded,"  continued  Mr.  David 
Dudley  Field,  "  to  the  English  government  and  people  for  the  zeal  with 
which  thoy  came  forward  in  answer  to  the  call  made  upon  them.  Money 
was  obtained  from  individuals  as  frf ely  as  it  was  wanted,  and  the  gov- 
ernment outran  even  the  people.     (Applause.) 

"  Eeturning  then  to  America,  Mr.  Field,  with  his  American  asso- 
ciates, made  application  to  the  Government  of  the  United  States  for  aid, 
similar  to  that  given  by  the  English  Government,  and  lie  applied  to  in- 
dividuals for  a  participation  with  him  in  the  stock  he  had  taken.  Con- 
gress voted  the  aid  requested  after  a  vehement  opposition,  against  which 
the  measure  was  carried  in  the  Senate  by  a  majority  of  one.  Of  the 
stock  twenty-seven  shares  were  taken, in  the  United  States." 

And  here  closes  the  account  of  the  organiaation  of  the  enterprise. 
The  biographical  sketches  of  the  men  who  were  engaged  in  its  succeaaful 
aoeomplishment,  and  the  narrative  of  the  expeditions  commencing  with 
the  first  attempt  to  lay  the  Newfoundland  cable,  and  ending  with  the 
final  one  on  the  6th  of  August,  will  be  found  in  the  following  pages. 


/^ 


I 
t 


fl 


?  . 


•  THE  MEN  OF  THE  ENTERPRISE.  -^    • 

In  an  undertaking  of  audi  Magnitude  as  that  which  forms  tho  sub- 
ject ef  this  work,' it  would  -be  UBJuat  uid  invidioua  to  give  all  the  credit 
to  any  one  man,  for  an  enterprise  of  thiff  kind  requires  such  a  combi- 
nation of  rare  faculties  taii  varied  talents  as  is  rarely,  if  ever,  found 
in  one  individual.  In  the  following  necessarily  brief  sketches  of  the 
men  who  played  a  prominent  part  in  the  managerial,  tho  scientific?,  and 
nautical  departments  of  the  enterprise,  the  author  has  endeavor  id  to 
show  their  different  relations  with  it,  and  to  present  a  simple  stat  ment 
of  the  facts  to  the  public.  '  '^ 

CYHUS  W.  FIELD. 

Cjnrus  West  Field  wTa's  born  in  Stockbridge,  Massachusetts,  in  No- 
vember, 1819.  His  father  was  the  clergyman  of  that  place,  and  is  still 
living  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-eigbt.  His  ifaother  is  also  alive, 
and  although  Lut  a  few  years  younger  than  her  husband,  is  a  woman  of 
remarkable  enefgy  and  vitality,  both  of  which  qualities  seemed  to  haye 
been  inherited  to  the  fullest  extent  by  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  In 
1853  nearly  all  their  children  were  assembled  beneath  the  old  homar_ 
stead  to  celebrate  their  golden  marriage,  and  among  them  was  Mr.  "^ 
Cyrus  W.  Field,  who  had  arrived  just  in  time  for  the  purpose  from  an  ex- 
tended tour  in  South  America.  Wo  should  have  said  that  all  their 
children,  consisting  of  seven  sonf#and  two  daughters  wqre  present,  and 
a  still  larger  number  of  grandchildren. 

The  eldest  of  the  brothers,  David  Dudley  Field,  is  a  lawyer,  and  oc- 
cupies  a  high  position  at  the  New  York  bar, 

Matthew  D.  Field,  who  is  by  profession  a  civil  engineer,  was  a  State 
Senator  of  Massachusetts,  and  is  now  in  connection  with  Major  Ripley, 
late' of  the  U.S.  Army,  proprietor  of  a  valuable  lead  mine  on  the  land 
of  the    New  York,  Newfoundland,  and  London  Telegraph  Company,- 
within  sinie  fifteen  miles  of  Trinity  Bay. 

Jpnathan  Edwards  Field  Js  a  lawyer  at  Stockbrid^gc,  and  stands  at 

the  hrfad  of  the  tar  in  his  native  cpunty.     He  has  also  been  a  State 


m 
m 


BIOOEAPHICAL'  BKET0HE8. 


27 


1  - 


oTini  w.  nuA, 


Senator,  and  was  at  one  timo  nominated  for  the  office  of  Secretary  of  State 
of  Massachusetts.     , 

Stephen  Johnson  Field  is  now  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Gali- 
.fomia,  and  hus  lately  distinguifihed  himself  by  two  dissenting  opinions 
from  the  court — one  in  favor  of  the  constitutionj&lity  of  the  law  for 
the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  and .  the  other  in  regard  to  the  Frimont 
qlaim. 

Another  brother,  Timothy  Field,  entered  the  U.  S.  nary  a4  %  mid- 
ahipman,  and  was  lost  at  sea.  . 

Henry  Field  is  a  olergynan,  and  was  pastor  of  ^  church  in  St.  Loni^, 
and  of  another  in  West  Springfield,  Maasaohusetta.     He  ia  now  one  of 


the  editors  of  the  New  Xor^  Evangelist,  and  a  literary  man  of  muoli 


i 
if ' 

-li. 
IP 
m 

m 


wn 


l^,..- 


fid 


THE  OCEAN  HCLEGRAFH. 


ability.     A  book  which  ho  wrote  some  years  ago,  entitled,  "  The  Irish 
Confederates  of  1798,"  is  one  of  his  best  efforts. 

Cyrus  W.  Field,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  resolved,  when  quite  a 
boy,  to  become  a  merchant,  and  with  this  detepnbation  came  to  New 
York  in  1835,  being  about  sixteen  years  of  ago.     His  brother  David 
Dudley  procured  him  a  situation  in  the  store  of  Mr.  A.  T.  Stewart,  with 
whom  he  served  his  apprenticeship.     He  remained  with  Mr.  Stewart 
"about  four  year's,  and  when  ho  left  the  establishment  his  fellow  clerks 
^     testified  their  appreciation  of  his  many  good  qualities  by  giving  him  a 
dinner,  at  which  were  a  large  number  of  liis  friends.    Soon  after  leaving 
Mr.  Stewart  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  paper  in  Westfield,  Mas- 
sachusetts.    In  1840,  three  months  before  he  reached  his  majority,  ha 
married  Miss  Mary  Bryant  Stone,  of  Milford,  Connecticut.     He  re- 
mained at  Westfield  about  two  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  re- 
*    turned  to  New  York,  and  established  a  -paper  warehouse,  but  failed 
when  he  had  been  a  comparatively  short  time  in  the  business.     A  com- 
promise, howcve'r,  was  obtained  with  his  creditors,  and  having  succeeded 
ifi  procuring  a  release  from  his  obligations,  he  again  started  in  business. 
This  time  he  was  successful,  and  in  1852  had  realized  a  large  fortune. 
But  his  creditors  were  not  forgotten,  for,  having  kept  a  striot  account  of 
tlie  balance  which  he  believed  was  still  due,  notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  they  had  released  him  from  the  obligation,  he  sent  each  of  them  a 
check  for  the  amount.    Having  iftnassed  a  competency  for  life,  ho  gave 
up  the  business  to  Mr.  Stone,  his  brother-in-law,  and  started  on  a  tour 
to  South  America  with  Mr.  Church,  the  well-known  artist.     The  first 
place  at  which  they  arrived  was  Carthagena,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mag- 
dalena  River,  from  which  they  went  to  Honda,  and  thence  to  Bogota. 
From  Bogota  the  travellers  proceeded  across  the  Andes  to  Quito  on  the 
backs  of  mules,  and  from  Quito  to  Guayaquil.     At  Guayaquil  they  took 
the  steamer  to  Panama,  and  reaching  Aspinwall  by  the  shortest  route, 
took   passage  at  once  for  New  York — Mr.  Field  arriving   at   home 
in  time  for  his  father's  golden  wedding. 

During  the  summer  of  1854,  the  death  of  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Stone, 
rendered  it  necessary  for  him  to  resume  his  business  relatibns  with  his 
former  partners,  and  he  once  more  entered  upon  the  actv^e  duties  of  the  ■ 
establislunent  which  ho  had  left  but  a  comparatively  sh<irt  time  before. 

•  Mr.  Field's  connection  with  the  great  work,  the  successful  termina- 
tion of  which,  has  brought  him  bo  prominently  befo/e  the  public,  com- 
menced in  the  year  1854,  from  which  time  up  U^tho  present  he  has  been 
the  very  life  and  soul  of  the  enterprise.  As  all  the  facts  and  details  oi 
his  connection  with  both  the  Newfoundland  and  Atlantic  telegraphs  are 
lfiv«i  in  tbe  hi»twry  of  the  two  compinics,  it  is  needicrartol'^eir^^'^ 


DIOOBAnnOAL   8KKT0HEB. 


2« 


here.     There  are  some  facts,  however,  which  we  cannot  avoid  ginng  in 
detail.     In  the  sumtner  of  1856  Mr.  Field  arrived  at  Liveopool  en  route 
foi'  London,  in  order  to  procure  specimens  and  samples  of.  cable  from 
which  togg^  one  for  the  Atlantic  Telegraph  Company.     In  August 
of  the  JEo  year,  Lieut.  Berryman,  commanding  the  Arctic,  entered 
QucenstWn,  having  surveyed  and  sounded  the  plateau  between  Ireland 
and  Newfoundland.     As  soon  as  Mr.  Field  was  apprised  of  .t  he  set  out 
for  Cork,  and  having  consulted  with  Lieut.  Berryman,  returned  to  Lon- 
don by  way  of  Milford  Haven,  Wales..    In  the  cars  that  started  from 
Milford  Haven  was  Mr.  Brunei,  the  celebrated  engineer,  whom  Mr^ 
Field  recognized,  and  to  whom  he  introduced  himself     The  subject  of 
conversation  was  the  cable,  and  in  course  of  it  Mr.  Field  brought  for- 
ward a  portion  of  the  cable  submerged  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence, 
the  core  of  which  is  composed  of  seven  twisted  strands,  which  form  the 
conductor.     "  Why  not  have  the  outer  covering  of  the  AUantio  cable 
formed  of  twisted  strands  as  well  as  the  conductor,"  said  Mr.  Bmnel. 
"  By  that  means  you  wiU  h^ve  a  stronger,  lighter,  and  more  flexible 
cable  than  if  you  retain  the  outer  covering  or  armor  of  solid  wire."    By 
one  of  those  strange  coincidences  that  often  happen  in  every-day  life, 
Messrs  Gkss  and  Elliott,  the  weU-known  gutta  percha  manufacturers, 
were  aiso  in  the  cars,  and  overhearing  the  conversation,  joined  in.     Dur- 
ing a  ride  of  three  hundred  miles,  the  party  so  opportunely  thrown  to- 
gether discussed  this  subject,  and  the  result  was  an  order  to  Glass  and 
•   Elliott  to  manufacture  a  specimen  cable  after  the  plan  suggested  by  Mr. 

Brunei.  "  *  xt  *  • 

Mr.  Field  is,  »a  the  public  are  already  aware,  a  man  of  the>most  m- 

,  domitable  energy  and  success ;  a  man  who  seems  to  delight  in  meeting  ob- 
Btaclea,  that  he  may  have  the  pleasure  of  overcoming  them.   No  defeat,  po 
matter  how  discouraging,  disheartens  or  sways  him  from  his-purpose,  to 
which  he  holds  with  remarkabte  tenacity.   An  illuatiration  of  this  was  pre- 
sented on  the  11th  of  August,  1857,  when  the  cable  parted.    The  disaster 
had  just  occurred  when  the  news  spread  over  the  ilbole  ship,  creating  a 
most  painful  excitement.    Mr.  Field,  who  hadLaloro  at  stake  in  the  enter- 
prise than  any  member  of  the  whole  company,  and  who  might  be  supjjosed 
to  feel  the  effects  of  the  failure  more  than  any  one  aboard,  proved  himself 
equal  t(nhe  emergency.  Losing  no  tin^e  in  vain  regrets,  ho  called  a  meeting 
at  once  on  board  the  Niagara^  at  which  Captain  Hudson  and  the  command- 
ers of  the  other  ships  were  present,  and  it  which  it  was  resolved  to  make 
a  series  of  experiments  in  view  of  the  resumption  of  the  undertaking  the 
following  October,  or  in  the  summer  of  1858.    These  experiments  were 

iatmded  to^teat  the  praoticability  of  splifling  mA  laying  th<i  cable  fi«m^ 

mid-ocean,  and  it  is  enough  to  say  that  they  wore  BucceasfoL    HftTing 


m 


I  r 


■;  2*1  t'.'S^V  .*  ^''■Ij 


(♦ 


80 


TBE  OOEAN   TKLKGBAPH. 


made  the  aritnjjemente  for  those  eiporimenta  Ad  ascertained  the  amount 
of  cable  p.,d  out  Mr  Field  started  for  England  ^n  board  the  CycW 
one  of  tho  Br.t,«h  ship,  of  the  squadron,  and  ou  landing  proceeded  a^ 
once  to  London      When  Mr.  Field  reached  London  he  found  that  the 
.  »«»■  o^^the  feilure  had^t  tljere  before  him,  and  the  directors  and 
shareholders  «et  him  T^ith^hat  it  would  require  a  terrible  latitude 
of  expression  to  call  encouraging  looks.     A  meeting  of  the  Board  was 
immediately  called,  at  which  Mr.  Field  «et  forth  the  prospect^  and  con- 
dition of  the  enterprise,  and  showea,  whatorer  doubts  there  might  have 
been  there  could  be  none  now  regarding  its  practicability.     He  infused 
new  hope  into  the  company,  and  arrangements  were  immediately  entered 
into  to  renew  the  attempt  during  the  present  summer.,    We  should  state 
that  at  this  time  Mr.  Field  was  simply  a  director,  but  at  the  p«trticular 
Mid  special  request  of  the  company  be  subsequently  accepted  the  posi- 
tion of  general  manager.     His  a^^ibtfUent  to  this  office  was  made  when 
he  was  ,n  the  United  States,  and  as  soon  as  he  secured  the  apn^ent  of 
the  Government  giving  Mr.  Everett,  the  Chief  Engmeer  of  tb«li^gara 
W  of  absence,  for  the  purpose  of  deeigning  and  superinteSding  the 
construction  of  the  paying-out  machinery,   he   returned  to.  England, 
where  he  arnved  on  the  16th  of  Jan„-aJ^.     But  there  are  some  othe; 
pomts  which  should  be  mentioned  here,  showing  the  nature  of- Mr. 
Fiold  s  connection  with  the  undertaking.     About  four  years  ago,  «,  we 
have  said  he  interested  himself  for  the  first  time  in  telegrapht  enter- 
prises, and  with  an  energy  that  appears  to  characteriie  every  thin^  he 
undertakes,  entered  upon  this  new  field.     It  was  through  his  efforts  and 
theefforts  of  Mr.  David  Dudley  Field,  Mr.  Chandler  White,  Mr.  Moses 
Taylor,  Mr.  Marshall  O.  Roberta,  and  Mr.  Peter  Cooper,  that  an  asso- 
ciation, called  the  "  New  York,  Newfoundland,  and  London  Telegraph 
Company     was  organized,  for  the  purpose  of  laying  a  cable  acro^  the  • 
Uulf  of  St  Lawrence,  and  of  connecting  with  the  line  which  the  Atlan- 
tic  Telegraph  Company  intended-to  lay  between  Europe  and  America. 
„  Jttr.  Chandler,  wfio  was  one  of  the  most  active  and  energetic  of  tho  early 
members,  has  smce  died,  and  his  place  is  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Wilson 
G.  Hunt,  a  merchant  of  high  reputation  and  standing  in  New  York. 
Thialatter  company  had  been  organiged,  but  the  capital  was  not  sub- 
floribed.     Mr.  Field  determined,  however,  that  the  enterprise  should  not 
be  delayed  on  this  account,  went  to  England  and  held  meetings  in  Lon- 
don, Liverpool;  Manchester,  and  other  places,  where,  by  hia  speeches,  he 
created  such  an  enthusiasm,  that  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks  the  whtile 

'Ti'  '^UI''  '^^  **'  ^^'^  "P-  ^^  ^  previously,  ih  connection 
^h  Mr.  White  and  Darid  Dudley  Field,  tm  we  have  stated,  obtained  * 
^^r  fwtn  the  Colonial  Government  of  Newfoundland,  grantingthe 


■^' 


t 


BIOOBAPHIOAL  BKETOUBS. 


81 


American  Company  the  excluaive  priTilege  for  fifty  year*  of  runjning  a 
telegraph  across  that  island  and  through  any  of  the  adjacent  jatera 
In  addition  to  this  the  company  were  secured  the  interest  on  two  hdndred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  fifty  years,  and  a  present  of  fifty  sqaard(mil« 
of  land,  which  they  were  at  liberty  to  select  in.Mjy  part  of  the  ilhnd. 
Through  the  efforU  of  Mr.  Field,  there  were  other  minor  and  lesst  ^b- . 
stantial  marks  of  favor  bestowed  upon  the  company  by  the  Newfoundland 
goverumeiUi.  Charters  had  been  previously  granted  by  tha  govemmenta 
of  Prinoe  Edwftd  Island  and  New  Brunswick,  atao  giving  the  oompaa^ 
exclusive  privileges  and  benefit*.  Every  thing  had  been  thus  favorably 
settled  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  great  work  of  the  age.  Throu^  th« 
same  manager";  the  ggicmments  of  the  United  States  and  Great  Brttuii 
were  induced  to  grant  the  use  of  six  national  ships  with  which  to  per- 
form  the  task  of  submerging  the  cable.  As  a  proof  of  the  servioM 
which  were  rendered  V  Mr.  Field,  from  his  connection  with  the  gr«»t 
undertaling,  it  is  only  necessary  to  quote  the  following  incontrovertible 

testimony. 

Mr.  P.  Christopher  Bushell,  President  of  the  Liverpool  Chamber  of 
Commerce,  addressings  meeting  of  the  Atlantic  Tolegrsph  Company 
on  Uie  ,18th  of  February,  1858,  made  use  of  the  following  language : 

"  We  know  that  the  greatest  sacrifices  have  been  made— I  think  I 
may  say  by  all  the  gentlemen  connected  with  this  enterprise,  especially 
by  the  great  originator  of  it,  Mr.  Cyrus  W.  Field." 

And  at  the  same  meeting  the  following  resolution  was  unanimonaly 
adopted: 

"  Resolved,  That  the  warm  and  hearty  thanks  of  the  company  be  ten- 
dered to  Mr.  Cyrus  W.  Field,  of  New  York,  for  the  treat  services  he 
has  rendered  to  the  Atlantic  Telegraph  Company,  by  his  untiring  eeal, 
energy,  and  devotion  from  its  first  formation,  and  for  the  great  personal 
talent  which  he  has  ever  displayed  and  exerted  to  the  utmost  in  the  ad-' 
.    vancement  of  its  interests.'' 

In  seconding  the  resolution,  Mr.  Brooking,  the  Yiee-Chairmair,  said; 

"  It  is  now  about  a  year  and  a  half  ago  sir.'ie  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
making  the  aoquaintanoe'  of  my  friend  Mr.  Field.  It  was  he  who  initi- 
ated me  into  this  oompaqy,  and  induced  me  to  take  an  interest  in  it  from 
its  earliest  stage.  From  that  period  to  the  present  I  have  observed  m  ' 
Mr.  Field  the  most  determined  perseverance,  and  the  exercise  <^  great 
talent,  extraordinary  assiduity  and  diligence,  coupled  with  an  amount  of; 
fortitude  which  has  seldom  been  equalled.  I  have  known  him  cross  the 
Atlantic  in  the  depth  of  winter,  and,  within  twenty-four  hours  after  hia 
arrival  in  New  York,  having  ascertained  that  his  presrace  was  neceseal^ 
in  a  distant  Britiidi  oolouy,  he  has  not  hesitated  at  onoe  to  direet  lin 


f  11 


i 

4<! 


,  "'-fA    '."t* 


/^*.  \),^\  ^ 

i^A'4 


83 


THB  OOKAN  TltKORAPH. 


quamtod  having  resided  m  U  for  upward,  of  twenty  yea™,  and  am  enabled 
to  speak  to  the  hazards  and  4«ii^r  whidfc  attend  a  voyage  to  it  in 
winter      Mr  Field  no  sooner  arrir«i  at  New  York,  in  the  lalter  part  of 
December,  than  ho  got  aboard  a^stcamer  for  Halifax  and  procc>eded  to 
8t.  Johns,  Newfoundland.  .  In  three  weeks   he  accomplisheJ  there  a 
Tery  great  object  for  this  company.     He  procured  the  passing  of  an  Act 
ot  the  liogislature  which  has  given  to  our  compiiny  the  right  of  estab- 
lishing a  footmg  on  those  shores,  which  ere  long,  1  hope,  will  result  in 
connecting  us  with  Ireland.     You  have  now  the  riiht  to  go  on  the  shores 
°l^forxndhiui.     Without  that  right  ooncedeS  by  flie  Legislature 
of  eat  island  you  would  not  have  been  enabled  to  go  there;  and  that 
nght  which  we  have  secured,  is  confined  exclusively  to  our  company 
I'hat  w  only  one  of  the  ^eat  acts  which  Mr.  Field  has  performed  with 
a  desire  to  promote  the  interests  of  this  great  enterprise.     (Hear,  hear ) 
1  have  worked  early  and  late  with  Mr.  Field,  and  can  speak  to  his  diU- 
^nce  with  the  greutest  possible  satisfaction  :  and  I  feel  persuaded  that 
m  selecting  that  gentleman  to  assist  the  Directors  in  the  general  manage, 
ment  of  the  company  there  has  been  impaj-todintO  it  an  element  of  sucwss 
Which  has  given  to  me  and  to  others  a  large  increase  of  confidence  in  ths 
result  of  our  undertaking.  .  I  have  in  him  and  in  his  judgment  every 
m  his  abiii't    "°  * -^*  "^  colleagues  repose  ^ual  confidence 

To  this  high  compliment  Mr.  Field  responded  as  follows  : 
"I  feel,  gentlemen,  that  I  have  scarcely  time  to  eat,  drink,  or  sleep, 
and  none  to  make  a  «,eech;.  but  I  assure  you  that  all  the  energy  and  - 
little  talent  which  God  has  given  me  shall  be  bestowed  between  now  and 
next  June  m  endeavoring  to  carry  out  this  enterprise:  and  it  wUl  ijive 
me  great  pleasure,  when  lam  in  America,  to  talk  through  the  cable  with 

;;Z,°»^T."^""'*'"'"Mr^^"''^*^*°"''-     (I-o^d  cheers.)     Before  you 

^  y   .  L^T  y**"  ^'}^  P*^  °®«  resolhtion  for  me-it  i/.  a  vot^^of 

thanks  to  the  directors  of  this  company.    I  ,m  not  a  director :  but  I  know 

!rv?  "^  •'o™P»ni«'»  on  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  and  I  may  safely 

11  tll'T^  ^T  VTP'i^y  '°  '^'"^  *!»«  directors  wo.^cJ  L  hard, 
and  exhibited  so  little  of  selfish  motive,  as  in  this.  Your  Board  Em- 
prises gentlemen  m  London,  Manchester,  Liverpool,  and  Glasgow,  and 
day  after  day  1  have^^seen  almost  every  meifiber  attending  the  meeting 
of  the  directors,  not  for  the  sake  of  putting  a  guinea  a  day  into  their 
pockete;  for  they  axe  above  that ;  but  from  higher  motives  and  loftier 
considerationa.  (Cheeraj  Your  directors  have  never  received  a  far- 
thing of  your  money  aiid  I  hope  that  the  meeting  wiU  unanimously  p^ 
a  vote  of  thanks  to  those  gentlemen."     (Applause.) 

Extract  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Board  of  Director,,  daUd  January 

■  *         -  ■  27,185a 

'  • 

"  The  Directors  Laving  for  several  months  felt  that  it  would  greatly 
advance  the  interests  of  this  enterprise,  if  Mr.  Cyrus  W.  Field  of  New 
^^'^*'',*?1^'^  be  induced  to  come  over  to  England,  for  the  parpose  of 


=raaOT6ifinf  the  generd  manag^nV^nd  Bop^nTision  rf  all  the  variomT 


BIoaBAPHtOAL  BKKTOIUCS. 


.88 


arrangements  that  would  bo  required  to  bo  carried  out  before  the  sailiu^ 
of  the  next  expedition ;  application  was  made  to  Mr.  Field;  with  theriew 
of  securing  his  consent  to  this  proposal,  and  he  arrived  in  this  eouotry 
on  the  16th  instant,  when  it  was  ascertained  that  he  would  be  willing  if 
unanimously  desired  by  the  Directors,  to  act  In  behalf  of  the  Company 
as  proposed,  and  Mr.  Field  having  retired,  it  was  unanimously  rcsolred 
to  tender  him  in  rospcot  to  such  services,  the  Bam  ofXlOOd  over  and 
above  hia  travelling  and  other  expenses,  as  remuneration." 

Mr.  Field  declined  to  acf  cpt  any  thbg  in  oompensatiou  for  his  serriees, 
at  the  same  time  that  he  complied  with  the  request  of  tha  Company. 
Whereupon  the  following  resolution  was  passed  :      - 

"Eetolvtd,  That  Mr.  Field's  kind  and  generous  offer  be  accepted. 
by  this  Board ;  that  their  best  thanks  are  hereby  tendered  to  him  for  his 
devotion  to  the  interests  of  this  undertaking." 

Eictract  from  tha  Proctedinga  of  tht  Meeting  of  iJu  Managing  Cbwi- 
'  mitiee,  dated  at  London,  26<A  of  March,  1858. 

"  Eesdved,  That  Mr.  Cyrus  W.  Field,  General  Manager  of  the 
Company,  is  hereby  authorised  and  empowered  to  give  such  directions 
and  orders  to  the  officers  coniposing  the  staff  of  the  Company,  as  he  may 
from  time  to  time  deem  necessary  and  expedient  with  regard  to  ail 
matters  connected  with  the  l>u8iness  prooeeoings  of  the  Company,  subject  ' 
to  the  control  of  the  Directors." 

"  Baolved,  That  the  Staff  of  the  Company  be  notified  hereof,  and 
required  to  observe  and  follow  such  directions  as  may  be  iaaued  by  the 
Qcneral  Manager."  C>-~-' 

On  the  reception  in  London  of  the  news  of  the  auooeas  of  the  ondar- 
taking,  the  Secretary>«f  the  Company,  Mr.  George  Soward,  addressed  • 
letter  to  Mr.  Field,  from  which  the  following  is  an  extract :  •"  At  last 
the  great  work  is  suocessfuL  I  rejoice  at  it  for  the  sake  of  han^anity  at 
large.  I  rejoice  at  it  for  the  sake  of  our  common  nationalities,  and  Usfc 
bat  not  least,  for  your  personal  sake.  I  most  heartily  and  sincerely 
rejoice  with  you,  and  tk>ngratulate  you,  upon  this  happy  termination  to 
the  trouble  and  anxiety,  the  continuous  and  persevering  labor,  and  never- 
ceasing  and  sleepless  energy,  which  the  successful  accomplishment  of 
this  vast  and  noble  enterprise  have  cost  you.  Never  was  man  more, 
devoted — never  did  man's  energy  better  ^deserve  success  than  yours  haa 
done.  May  you  in  the  bosom  of  your  funily  reap  those  rewards  of  re- 
pose and  affection,  which  will  be  doubly  sweet  from  the  refleotioo,  that 
you  return  to  them  after  having  been  under  Providence  the  main  ani/^ 
leading  principal  in  conferring  a  vast  and  enduring  benefit  on  Taankind.;' 

8 


:_",> 


t! 


m 


J 


^!. 


•^,<t 


■*> 


m' 


"^ 


'T  t' 


^'Mb 


''A 


84 


TOB  OCEAir  TSLEOBAFH. 


m  the  reflection,  for  the  name  of  Cyrus  W.  Field  will  now  go  onward 
to  immortality,  as  long  as  that  of  the  Atlantic  Telegraph  shall  be  knows 
to  mankind."  For  some  time  after  the  return  of  the  fleet  from  the 
second  uosucoessful  expedition,  it  was  doubtful  whether  another  attempt 
would  be  made  at  o^  or  whether  the  enterprise  would  be  postponed 

,  indefinitely.  Many  of  the  directors,  discouraged  by  repeated  disap- 
pointments, were  in  &ver  of  selling  the  cable  and  giring  up  the  idea 
alj^sether,  rather  than  risk  all  their  capital  by  a  disastrous  failure.  A 
despatch  was  sent  to  Mr.  Field,  at  Queenstown,  informing. him  of  the 
feeling  prevailing  among  the  directors,  and  the  probability  that  they 
would  abandcHi  the  enterprise.  He  lost  not  a  moment  in  indecision,  but 
hastening  to  London,  called  together  the  directors  and  endeavored  to 
infuse  among  them  his  own  high  hopes  and  sanguine  expectations.  One 
director  left  the  meeting,  refusing  to  take  any  part  in  the  proceedings; 

.  but  the  other  members  who  were  present  at  last  coneurred  in  his  views, 
andigave  their  sanction  to  another  and  final  attemp||^ 

PROP,  a  F.  B.  MORSE.*" 

The  inventor  of  the  electro- magnetic  telegraph  is  so  well  known,  not 
only  in  his  own  country,  but  throughout  the  civilized  world,  that  it 
would  appear  almost  unnecessary  to  say  any  thing  further  of  him  than  th«t 
he  acted  as  electrician  on  the  first  Atlantic  telegraph  expedition.  There 
are,  however,  some  circumstances  connected  with  ois  invention  which  ar« 
of  such  particular  interest  at  this  time  as  to  justify  a  relation  of  them  here. 
Before,  however,  entering  into  these,  it  may  be  well  to  state  a  few  facts  in 
connection  with  the  earlier  lifb  of  Professor  Horse.  It  is  not,  perhaps, 
generally  known  th»t  at  the  time  he  invented  the  magneto-electrio  tele- 
graph he  was  engaged  in  the  active  p^ult  of  his  profession  as  an  artist, 
in  which  he  had  obtained  a  high  reputation  for  sonie  ori^^nal  works,  tie 
was  a  sculptor  as  well  as  a  painter,  and  his  model  of  the  Dywg  Hercules, 
which  was  m«d«  in  England  in  the  year  1813,  gained  for  him  the  highest 
medal  of  the  Adelphi  Society  of  Arts.  This  model  was  intended  simply 
at  a  oopy  from  which  to  paint  his  picture  of  the  same  sabjeot— a  work'qf  \ 
art  whit^i  received  at  the  time  the  greatest  praise,  and  which  was  selected 
from  among  the  first  for  particular  notion  by  the  oriticsa. 

Profespor  Morse  left  England  in  the  ywur  l8l5,>«Tiog  resided  JUi 
that  country  about  four  years,  and  returned  to  liia  native  U^d,  where  la/tt 
continued  the  active  pursuit  of  his  profession  m  an  artist.    Iq  1829  1m  . 
again  visited  Bnglfmd  Mid  remained  till  1882,  in  which  jAir  be  went, 
home  in  tfae  shi^  SnUy-  ,  tt  WM  daring  the  puii^  ^i  t^i  Mp  th«t  iml 
first  ooneeived  the  idea  bf  the  cleotro-ma^etie  recording  tglegraj^,  ,^ '', 


=^wi«toB^^w^S^1nf^^^nrHir)fe^ 


..*%ii  i<- 


W-aii  :jfJ  'i.) 


U.l 


fniff  ■Wii«lit4('       &- 


A> 


\ 


BIOOKAPBIC^  BKKTOHEB. 


85 


seientifie  men  of  th«  world.  Among  the  passengen  on  i^e  SuHy  was 
Hon.  Wm.  C.  Rives,  United  States  Minister  to  Frutoe,  and  a  homber 
of  other  gentlemen  who  hare  since  been  the  most  anient  friends  of  the 
Professor.  In  one  of  the  many  social  gatherings  which  took  place  among 
the  company,  a  conversation  arose  in  regard  to  a  subject  which  was  at 
that  time  extensively  discussed  among  scientific  oirdes— the  obtaining 
of  a  spark  from  the  electro-magnet,  which  showed  the  identity  of  eleetrici- 
1^  and  magnetism,  a  fact  which  had  often  b«en  supposed  to^xist,  but  the 
existence  of  which  had  not  bften  conclusively  proved  by  actual  experiments. 
In  the  course  of  conversation  the  well-known  oiroumstance  of  ^rai^lin's 
having  caused  electricity  to  pass  through  three  or  four  ttiles  of  wire,  fbr  . 
the  purpose  of  measuring  its  velocity,  was  related,  and  it  was  this  partic- 
ular circumstance  which  led  the  Professor  to  an  investigation  of  the 
subject,  with  the  view  of  employing  the  subtle  agent  ae  the  messenger  of 
He  made  th«  (^rvation,  that  "  if  electricity  can  be  made  viuble 


man. 


in  any  desired  part  of  the  circuit,  there  is  no  reason  why  a  system  of  signs 
could  not  be  devised  by  which  intelligence  might  be  transmitted  between 
distant  points."  The  remark  excited  little  or  no  attention  at  the  time^ 
but  the  idea  took  such  firm  possession  of  his  mind  that  he  devoted  the 
greatest  part  gf  ;his  leisure  time  to  the  invention  of  an  instrument  by 
which,  what  was  b«fore  but  an  idea,  was  to  be  converted  into  a  fixed  fiict 
The  result  was  the  invention  of  a  machine  of  which  an  illustration  and 
description  are  presented  on  another  page.  In  the  year  1835  he  mi- 
hibited  this  model  to  his  (sfiuss  of  pupils  in  the  New  York  University, 
where  he  had  his  studio,  and  gave  an  explanation  of  tbe  purpose  for 
whkh  it  had  been  constructed ;  1l>ut  it  l^as  not  till  the  mon^  of  Oc- 
tober, 1837,  Uutt  he  entered  a  caveat  at  the  Patent  Office  in  Wuth- 
ingtAn.  This  caveat  contained  a  detailed  description  of  the  invention. 
In  1838  he  applied  to  Congress  for  an  appropri&Uon  fbr  the  erection  of 
a  telegraph  line  between  Washington  and  Baltimore,  •  distance  of  thiriy 
MileB,  the  sum  required  being  t^rty  thousand  dollars.  The  application 
was  before  Congress  about  five  years  before  it  was  Acted  upon,  and  it  was 
not  till  the  month  of  May,  1844  that  the  line  was  in  operatioq.  The 
first  message  sent  over  Uie  wire  was  by  Miss  Aniue  Ellsworth,  tlMi^ 
daughter  of  the  Commissioner  of  Patents,  who  had  taken  an  active  in- 
terest in  tbe  passage  of  the  bill  grafting  the  appropriation.  Miss  Ells- 
w^iMh'  t^U  tiSie  first  to  convey  the  inteftigoioe  of  tiie  fact  to  the  Professm^, 
wllb  had  despaired  Af  the  passage  of  the  bill  that  year,  as  the  close  of  the 
sMsion  was  at  hand  and  there  was  no  prospect  of  its  being  taken  up  be* 
tmei  the  next  session.    At  the  last  hour,  however,  it  was  passed,  and  the. 

noe  of  the  circBW- 


B&ioM,  ktid  Was  prepiring  to  leave  WashUigton,  waa  informed  by  Miai 
Ellsworth  of  the  final  suooess  of  the  applioidoB. 


K>"  ^r 


A\f. 


m 


HI 


i  ll 


■1 
I 


^1 


t»  "  t^  i'^<  r*  •»"« ' 


36 


THE  OCEAN  TELEGRAPS* 


"  Annie,"  said  he,  vhen  ahe  bad  imparted  the  welcome  tidings-^ 
"  Ajtmie,  the  first  message  that  goes  over  the  wires  shall  be  sent  by  yon." 
And,  true  to  his  jtromise,  the  first  message  was  sent  by  her.  This  cor- 
responded with  the  high  character  of  the  event,  and  has  connected  her 
name  with  it  forerer.  In  answer  to  the  Prefessor's  notification,  she  sent 
the  following  as  the  message  which  she  deemed  should  be  transmitted 
from  Washington  to  Baltimdre : 
"  What  hath  God  wrought  I ' 

The  establishment  of  this  telegraph  was  soon  followed  by  the  con< 
stmotion  of  others,  and  from  that  time  to  the  present  they  have  increased 
with  such  rapidity  that  there  are  now  about  forty-five  thousand  miles  in 
operation  in  the  United  States. 

In  1838,  while  the  application  for  an  appropriation  was  pending  be- 
fore Congress,  he  went  to  England  and  applied  fyr  a  patent  for  his  inven- 
tion there,  but  it  was  denied  on  the  ground  that  V  description  of  it,  as  it 
had  been  exhibited  to  his  class,  was  copied  froin  an  American  itato  an 
English  publication,  and  it  had  thus  become  public  property.  It  is  need- 
less to  say  any  thing  further  to  show  the  absurdity  of  such  a  reason — a  mere 
statement  of  the  grounds  upon  which  the  denial  was  based  is  sufficient 
for  that.  Various  claimants  have  since  risen  to  dispute  his  right  to  the 
inTOUtion;  but,  after  a  tedious  litigaticm  and  a  display  of  the  most  bitter 
hostility,  the  justice  of  his  claims  has  not  only  been  recogniEcd,  but  his 
instrument  is  now  almost  universally  used  and  acknowledged  as  the  most 
perfect  that  has  been  inrented. 

It  was  a  matter  of  regret  to  all  connected  with  the  undertaking,  to 
whom  Professor  Morse  had  endeared  himself  by  his  many  admirable 
qualities,  that  he  was  not  on  board  the  Niagara  during  the  final  expe- 
dition, but  he  had  previoody  withdrawn  from  the  enterprise.  He  is 
now  in  Europe  receiving  the  well-deserved  rewards  of  his  Ubor  from 
tlie  crowned  heads  who  have  thus  honored  themselves  by  honoring 
genius  in  the  yenoa  jt!  the  inventor  of  the  Electro-Magnetic  Tele- 
graph. We  cannot  better  close  our  sketoh  of  this  distinguished  gen- 
tleman, than  by  giving  deseriptions  of  the  irst  model  of  hL  reoordiog 
machine:  '       t 

THK  FIB8T  ELEOTBCMCAONETIO  RBOOBDING  INSTBUMBlTr. 
Thit  Morse  system  is  baaed  upon  the  important  discovery  made  by 
Profeslpr  Owrsted,  of  Gopenhi^B,  m  Uie  winter  of  1819,  which  hud  the 
foundation  of  the  acienoe  of^ectro-magiMtina.  He  aaoertained  that 
when  a  wire  conducting  electricity  is  placed  parallel  to  a  magneliio 
needle  properly  suspended,  tho  needle  will  d<yi»te  from  ita  natural  poiM- 
fiSlTand  place  iiMir  at  rif^ri^i^  inft  ilMMniuo^^ 
new  and  important  fikots  were  aooHftfter  diaeovered.  ,» 

The  following  illostration  Md  deaoription  of  the  nuKtel  of  the  flnt 


ft5jjj*"i;ni;  •»»»V;»if5CTSl' 


BIOOBAPHIOAL  8KBT0HES. 


/ 


«leetro>nuignotio  recording 
machine,  invented  by  Pro. 
feasor'  Morse,  possesses  much 
interest  in  this  connection : 

(Fig.  1.)  A  ia  a  juncture 
firame,  nailed  upon  a  coj^nmou' 
table  to  serve  for  tKe  building 
up  of  the  machinery.  Bisasort 
of  trough  simply  for  sustaining 
the  three  drums,  G,  B,  and  E. 

0  is  the  paper  drum,  on 
which  the  paper  is  rolled. 

£  ia  moved  by  a  cord 
passing  over  thalittle  pulley- 
wheel  on  the  outside  of  the 
axle  of  the  second  wheel  of 
/  .the  clock  train  of  F,  and  is 
'*r  moved  by  the  train  when  in 
motion.  F  is  a  clock  train  of 
wheels  moved  by  the  weight 
G,  and  regulated  by  a  fly. 

G  is  the  weight  passing 
over  a  pulley  elevated  for 
the  purpose  of  a  longer  rua 

H  (figs  1  and  2)  is  a  pen- 
dulum lever,  having  the  ful- 
crum at  A,  and  a  limited 
movement  of  about  a  quarter 
of  an  inch  at  the  other  ex- 
tremity, which  carries  a  pen- 
cil made  to  be  in  constant 
contact  wi^  the  paper  strip 
passing 'over  ihe  drum  D. 
About  half  way  np  on  the 
lever  is  attached  the  keeper  d 
fii  an  electro-magnet  «,  fixed 
apon  »  nnall  bracket  finm 
the  cross  bar  of  the  frame, 
and  on  the  other  ride  ie  the 
^xtitre  for  a  ipring  and  ngii> 


leirer  or  withdraw  it,  when 
the  augnet  is  not  in  motion. 


*v''>j|i^t'4^1« 


f-t*'- 


88 


m  ofrnm  TBUD&BAnt. 


/ 


i  ;■ 


» 


I  bin  gaWanio  battoy  of  copper  and  line,  from  one  pole  of  wMofc 
one  end  of  the  conjanotire  wire,  which  is  eontianoira  around  the  eleotwK 
magnet  forming  its  heUees,  is  attached.  JPtom  the  other  pole  the  oon- 
.  junotire  wire  goes  to  the  meroary  cap  (fig  8)  »,  it  One  estrenSty  of  tlie 
port  rule  J,  whUe  the  other  end  of  the  conjunctiTe  wire  from  the  elwti^ 
magnet  goes  to  the  other  mercury  cup  o,  leaving  the  only  broken  part 
of  the  circuit  of  battery  I  between  the  two  cups  n  and  o. 

J  is  the  port  rule  (%  3)  which  carries  the  type  rules.  The  port 
rule  18  composed  of  a  contact  lever  M,  whose  fujcrum  is  supported  from 
the  sides  of  the  frames,  and  has  upon  one  end  of  the  lever  a  forked  wire 
for  bridging  the  broken  spaee  between  the  meiwury  eupen  and  o,  and 
upon  the  other  end  a  weight,  and  beneatii  it  a  cog. 

At  each  end  of  the  port  rule  frame  is  a  diron  (K  and  L),  carrying 
an  endless  bud  (which  was  06.1*  inch  carpet  binding)  whose  motion  is 
regulated  by  the  crank  and  handle  K.  » 

Figure  4  is  a  side  view  of  the  rule  in  which  the  type  were  set  up 
havmg  pms  underneath  to  stick  into  the  endless  band;  there  were  many 
of  these  made  to  foUow  each  other  by  simply  placing  a  second  behind 
the  first  until  the  whole  message  is  sent.  , 


ricnrafi, 


pPlw  characters  ia  the  a^bet  that  wonld  beonarked  by  the  type 
in  tbe  abor^port  nilft.]  t~        J        jir' 

The  cl<fekworit  being  set  in  motion  by  releasing  the  fly  whiel  of  the 
clock  train,  the  paper  begins  slowly  to  be  unrolled  from  the  drum  0 
wrte  Ae  drum  D,  and  to  b«»  relied  Upon  E,  after  passing  und«  the  prtb- 
Vd^  l^hlch  ii  ml  ti«  end  (*f  the  Itreft  H.  The  Uter  H  has  a  motion^ 
AbOttt  one-fourth  of  an  fnoh  at  the  pencU  end;  the  pendl'it  hiild  by  m 
jnng  (see  figure  2)  on  one  side  (the  left)  of  the  p^iper  strip,  and  while 
thus  held  inakai »  continuous  line  on  that.  side. 

Now,  the  crenk  handle,  K,  ttf  the  port  rule  {tffm  i)  ig  turned,  and 
the  endless  band  bringg  the  type  ruk,  wilb  H.  type,  under  the  oog  upon 
&•  lever  M.  The  fim  type  lift,  the  cog  «id  lever,  an*  platL  *ba 
fork  at  the  other  end  i«to  A*  ^  oqp.,  i{  and  0,  closing  the  circuit  of 
the  battery,  I,  and  charging  the  magnet,  #,  wUeh,  tfttnusting  the  keeper. 
4,  upon  the  lever  H,  draws  the  peoml  to  tlie  other  (right)  ild*  4f  th« 


% 


\At'kSf 


Q 


nOOBATBIOJJL  8XKtOBK8. 


I» 


00.  of  the  lev«  M.  ihe  weight  osusea  the  lever  to  £aU,  a^d  withdraws 
Sfork  from  the  merewy  cup.,  bredring  thiT  circuit  and  d«>harging 
A,  magnet,  leaving  the  apringagab  to  act  and  r«rtore  the  lever  H, 
with  ite  pencil,  to  itapo.ition  on  ihe  left  aide  of  the  P^P*'- 1*;""*  J" 
its  retreat  made  another  mark  across  the  paper  and-*ompleted  the  first 
:  aharacter.whiohi^intheformofaV.  Thus,  by  the  continuous  movc- 
meni  of  the  port  rule,  with  its  type,  the  forms  of  the  ^ype,  whether  dots 
or  lines,  are  lamilarly  marked  upon  the  paper.  (Ab  example  of  the 
characters  thus  marked  is  seen  in  figure  6.)  '     ,*       -  „ 

This  plan  and  history  of  the  recording  telegraph  of  Prof.  Morse  is 
,     from  the  evidence  ib  the  courts  of  the  United  SUtea,  proved  by  several    " 

witnesses  to  ha^fl  been  in  operation  in  1886.  It  may  weU  be  asked, 
then,  why  m  every  history  of  the  telegraph  pubUshed  in  England  or  else- 
,  where,  this  date  of  1836  should  be  ignored,  and  the  injustice  towards 
Prof.  Morse  perpetrated'bywnstantly  giving  the  date  of  his  invention 
1837.  HepUnneditinl882,andexeouteditiiil835.  Thedateofthe 
caveat  or  patent  is  not  iU  date  of  the  iaventioa,  for  it  will  scarooly  lH> 
maintained  that  the  invention  was  not  made  if  he  had  not  takto  bis 

patent.  .  '  , .  i    i,    - 

Prof  Morse,  in  1836,  conceived  the  idea  of  making  an  electro-mag- 
net  record  words  by  having  a  steel  point  fixed  to  the  end  of  a  lever, 
upon  whtoh  was  kitaohad  a»  vmature—flie  awatnrt,  in  being  attracted 
by  the  electric-magnet,  to  indent  paper,  which  should  be  drawn  forward 
at  An  uniform  rate  of  s^ed.  Prof.  Mon»  found  hjniself  viable  to  mak«^ 
use  of  hia' instninii^  for  great  distances,  from  *♦.  resistance  to  and 
dissipation  of  the  et^clrical  current  along  the  conductore.  To  overcome 
thisdyHculty  he  adopU^d,  in  the  spring  of  1887,  •  |eopjnn|^  m^el, 
«u»d  a  irefay  or  repeating  circuit  Prof.  Morsejx»|i^e  application  &r  a 
pateqt  in  Apfil,  1888,  and  in  December^  1942,  <?on|fe8S  ^ropFi»ted 

Js'J'.O^W^f*  %  In  w« 

montii  of  Junfe,  1844,  the  inatrunaent  w«i  w^>|nft>^,«ww^«>?*Jx'»^ 

,     cessfui  manner  for  a  "disUnoe  of  forty  miies,  between  ihe  cities  of  BaHi- 

more  and  Washington.    P?»f.  Morse  has  obtained  fb)r  bw  iw^nw>»!»t 

aiwralpatetttil-^efit^ifaa  dated  June  20, 1840.    This  was  re-ii«wi 

-    JanUy  15,  1846^  *A  |«^.  Jt|p*  fi*,.,^,  ?^  oft  .ti>e  Uth  «f 

^    April,  1848.    Tbe»e  were  boih  re-is«ied  o©  the  IBtfiof  June,  1848; 

*n4«iother'p^j?j##^  **Jw  out  on  U»e lat 

,^pf  Migr,  184^,   ,i^.n  i.„A  >^y  uiiJ!  =^>■;.i -*.!*^  V->s.tr      v  -     •-.f--^^ 

'W  .,^---.  ^a'  s"'-^^^  .ttE.-WM.  B.  EVERETT.  -  '■■■'\    r  \"^^ 

•      aiM  «bje«t  of  tiua  skatch  is  a  native  of  Watertown^ia  tbe  8t«*«  if 

he  itth  of  ApriL  18ag.    Hft  oMmi 


X 


«;-^ 


mAmM:^:\ 


'^i':* 


Ft 
I-- 


r 


I 


I 


/V,!- 


A.  ,.  &  I 


40 


THS  OOEAir  TELEOS^>H. 


Aft 


hw  prewnt  oommi^on  m  Chief  Engineer  in  the  United  Stotee  N»yj 
m  m  ."^  ^'^  *^  yf'*^  w»r.  «lmHigl.<mt  the  whole  of  ,l.t.h  f.; 


...  . ;. .    ..  T7~ "->  ""^"tpwi*  MP  wnoie  or  which  Jifl- 

mitA  boUt  on  Mi  tA  lii«:~AWwihnSt?15S5rSlhe  service,  le^ 
was  often  inlrosted  in  important  and  respouible  positions. 


'i&^fr,*:.' 


, 

.     *      .       /     ^                            '^^^   ^^ 

- «  • 

'  ViW  ^  t'-ft  -    A^tsii*  V.   >."    41 

.       s        -•  .( 


H^i. 


.■ww'i  i'nm»<i" 


4>^ 


BIDOBAPHI0AI#  SKSTOBBi. 


41 


eb  lie 

ce,  lie 


Jlnterbg  tho  navy  in  1845  u  Asisistant  Engineer,  his  promotion 
was  very  rapid,  and  he  was  intrusted  with  the  performance  of  important 
and  responsible  duties  by  Uie  government,.  While  Assistant  Engineer, 
Mr.  Everett  served  a  con«der»Me  time  TwSer  Mr.  Haswell,  a  gentlemen 
to  whum  he  considers  himself  much  indebted  for  his  proficiency  in  the 
science  in  which  he  has  obtained  such  an  enviablB  reputation.  Mr.  „ 
Everett  was  one  of  the  members  of  the  Board  of  En|[ineer8  appointed 
to  examipe  asid-n^fKVt!  upon  the  eonstrttction  of  ih«  eo^neft  for  the  six 
war  steamers,  W  which  the  Niagara  was  one.  In  the  beginnbg  of 
1857  he  received  his  appointment  as  Chief  E5^««f  ^^  ^^  vessel,  and 
acted  in  that  capacity  during  tlje  first  Atlantic  !t!el«|p»jph  Expedition. 

It  was  while  )iolding  this  position  that  he  tendered  the  efficient  ser- 
vice to  the  undertaking  that  brought  his  meehanioala  kill  and  ingenuity 
into  such  prominence.  -  When  it  Vres  decided  I>y  <he  committee  appoint- 
ed  by  Capt.  Hudson  li^t  year,  and  consbtisgof  M/.  James  H.  North, 
the  first  Lieutenant  of  lihe  Niagara,  Oommander  Pennock  and  Mr. 
Everett,  that  there  was  sufficient  space  i»  the  ship  for  the  reception  of 
the  cable,  he  (Mr.  Everett)  contributed  largely  towards  her  preparation 
for  the  coiling  of  the  great  sea  line.     SubiequeSPitly  his  suggestions, 
when  followed  out  by  the  Chief  Engineer  of  ilieooal^T^,wereBttende<i 
with  the  most  satisfactory  results.    When  Ae  cable  f|*t§4,M«d  the 
vessds  retunied  to  T'lywouth,  he  was  >^nested  by  Ui«  ^riwtors  to 
t'^utke  a  report  in  re^»d  to , the  machinery,  and  to  suggest  whateTer 
alterations  and  improvements  he  considered  neeeseary  to  ad^>t  it  to  thft 
work.    In  the  perfonmoice  of  this  task,  he  called  In  to  his  asnidiMMSi 
JfempL  Pwx>»  Lloyd  and  Field,  three  engineers  of  distiuotioa  ia  En|^ 
land,  with  whom  he  consulted  and  made  a  joint  r^p9rt.    Alter  tills,  ^^ 
NiSj^A  having  disdbArged  tiie  remainder  of  the  CM^e^  retoined  to  .N«if  ji 
yori^  arriving  on  t|i»^Oth  0*  November,  185f.    She  was.  som*  dsp^ 
'  after  pat  oui'of  opmtpission,  sad  on  Ihe  applieation  of  Mr,  Tieldi 
4igain  grantted  by  /the  government  for  the  renewal  of  the  att^wpt  tibU| 
:iwnmer.    JroB^/whattbey  Mj^^  tad  }aivmi  at  Uii  ^vetetto1»| 
company  zespiv^  iu  applying,  through  the  g«o«ral  iftaaager,  JMr,  Ojj^ 
W.  Field,  to  oifrgovenuaent  W"  Ae  loaa"  <ibi*;  gentlwuin,  ,«f  i,an, 
[^glish  paper  i)»r*»Bsed  it.    'the  ^jiplioatioa  wafl  pet  only  »  higb  OofllF 
pliueioit  to  iJr.  Bverett  persosHt%,  but  a  high  compUmeni  to  the  oliarw 
aoter  ol  our  country.    Not  only  by  the  expressed  desire,  but  at  the 
earnest  solicitation  of  the  BoiMrd  of  Pirectors,  leave  of  absence  was 
asked  for  him,  that'  the  enterprise  mi^t  have  the  advantage  of  his 
abilities.    The  eogineturing  de|>artioeai  wis  to  be  placed  tuider  hi# ' 
direction ;  he  wa«  to  d?»w  up  lie  plan  of  the  mafohinery,  and  tibe  wJ»o^ 

_ __ ^ __: _ — » ^_ »_4 : — w— • nm- %■-- -    t.9  ^-J. — \.  -^f^  ^     ^ 


"T"  wis  t^^ 


irii^ittpwvuuuic'  "Tlw  i^^o«ttoir  befa^^^ 


I 


m 


rv. 


1 


fth' 


■-■'». 


':Q''>i'^'ii^^:xK'fk<i^ 


4fi 


ooHAv  rauDasini. 


I  ■! 


:    -4 


I       . 


A^^TT^  one  o„  government  lieri^ted  Ibr  ^om.  time  before 
g«ntmg  It   but  on  due  con.ider.tioa  aobedk  to  the  «««^^ 

ppol  on  the  16th  of  the  same  month     No  time  was  to  be  L     TO* 

he  was  obliged  himself  to  enter  upon  the  experiments,  the  reauliT 
which  wore  of  such  consequence.     Night  aufday  he  workTb  tfa 
dzrty,  miBcrable-Iooking,  out  of  the  way  &ctory,  in  a  dirTrle'aWe 
lookmg,  out  of  the  way  place,  called  Gravel  lan^,  and  TLrfouf  or 
five  weeks  had  developed  the  pUn  of  the  admirable  mach  ne  coSes  of 

itonspeetion.    It  M  almost  needless  to  state  what  is  already  known. 

that  ,t  met  with  general  approval,  and  that  it  was  decided  to  bS  S 

best  adgpted  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  w«i  desired     Ah!«fi;«! 

w^  befo™  the  cfepa^re  of  the  expeditienTlt  w^^dot'^:^  ^ 
mouth  and  put  on  board  both  diips,  Mr.  Everett  atteadimr  more  ^ 
^y  to  that  which  had  been  designed  for  the  Niagara.  The^T 
gdU^nwhiJ  had  marked  th.  whole  work  auSTits^JL^T^-t 
HymouAwhereit  w«i  also  tri«l  with  equd  «,ece.,.  Mr  JJ^^t 
h«vmg  thus  &r  performed  the  work,  wa.  fbriher  ,e«eitei  by^ 
company  to  take  charge  of  the  payinj^eut  on  the  Niaj^SJTh  w«  it 
possible  for  him  to  «,perintend  it  onboard  of  both  sUpT^  In  the  STl 
incidmit  to  this  position,  he  was  ««st.a  by  Mr.  ^  W^ol^ 

men  of  England,  of  wUehoountiy  he  is.  native.  «»i»ino 

Before  tddng  ohw^o  of  the  paying^wt  maohinery  <m  ih«  Nim^n^ 

Mr.  B^*rettreoeivedthefollowiBgofioiallet»er:^^T.^K   T^ 

,..,.    „^,,;.  ;^  ^'.  ,".::'".[■■  ■'"■■''"■-;■ '■•■'-'^'''•''■■-•^'^-■Vv;«   • 


'f& 


J-V.T 


fin  fXifAZ    ir  r^-vr  . 


1. , 


•^i^ 


MOOBATHKIAI,  MUflOttM, 


«8 


and  ^t  jaru  4o  not  oonrider  any  alteraiioD  nenewiT  to  inero«»  Of 
•ftoienoj ;  uod!  uroiothsr  set  is  required  for  -ihe  tfi^ed  8tfete»  firigate 
Niagus,  tbe  i^wmaging  oommittee^re  satkorixed  sa4  instrufeted  mb 
to  request  UiAt  ytitL  tyiu  immediately  giro  directions  to  Messrs.  Baston  di 
Amor  to  pat  "another  set  in  hand  for  that  ship ;  and  I  am  fert&er.  to 
reqaest  that  Toa  will  continue  your .  superrision  over  tto.  oonstraotioo 
of  the  maclimery,  and  also  undertake  to  superintend  aad  direct  its 
beinc  properly  fixed  and  fitted  on  board  the  li^iagara.         ~ 

1  am  further  instmoted  to  request,  that  you  will  take  charge  of  the 
operation  of  experimentinff  upon,  and  suDsequetly  of  paying  out  the 
cable  from  that  ship;  in  dome  which  you  will  naTe  the  eooperatioa  of 
iMessnu  WoodhoQse,  Ftdlansbee,  and  of  such  assistant  engjmsin  as 
yon  may  consider  it  requisite  to  appropriate  to  suol^  serricei  Yo!|  aro, 
idso  authorised  to  make  such  preparations  and  arrangements  ai  are 
necessary  to  enable  yon  to  carry  out  the  foregoing  instructions. 

I  remain,  yours  truly,  ''^ 

Gsa  fiHiwaBD,  Sebretaij*  : 
To  W;  B.  Brerett. 

MB.  W00DH0U8B.  '    '. 

Mr.  Woodhoum  is  Assistant  Enjpneer  of  the  Tel^pvj^h  Company^ 
and  was  appointed  to  aid  Mr.  Brerett  in  the  laying  Of  the  cable.  ]3t 
ins  cm  the  first  expedition,  and  has  been  erer  sinoe  retained  in  tiie  ser^ 
▼ice  of  the  company.  The  work  which  came  under  his  charge  has  alwayf 
been  thoroughly  performed,  and  bis  efteiency  and  praoti(Ndi  ial«i(  bat* 
rendered  him  an  invaluable  lettMht  to  tbo  nadertaking:  Mr.  Woodf 
house  has  had  a  most  extensive  ei^rience  in  the  wodc  9f  submerging 
cables,  baring  being  engaged  in  the  business  aioee  be  laiaN|hat  aoroaa 
thp.  Blaek  Sea  from  Yama  to  BibOOaTa.^^  attflada4.|boi«>q^iaUj 
this  time  to  the  oonstmction  ot  the  oeds  and  othar  work  on  the  Ni 
imd  it  is  Buffieieat  to  say  that  be  waa  one  of  the  moat  efficieirt 
oonnected  witb  4^e  oQBopany.  He  waa  also  on  ih»  Niagara  last  yeavi 
aad,  when  his  jarrioM  were  demanded,  was  always  pron^,  aetf-powMsad 

This  gentleman  is  an  English  Bngmeer,  and  waa  oaa  of«tbe>a««R* 
iifta  eorpe  of  tbe  expedition  of  Angast,  1868,  wbo  bad  ebargaof  tba 
work  on  the  Niagara.  Like  Mr.  Woodumse,  be  baa  h«d  »  gaad  d«al  trf 
axperienoe  in  the  laying  of  sulnwirine  lines,  baring  had  tbo  direetion  and 
>apeiintMd«M«<^  tbo&rtbw  iinsBCoeasfnl  attempt  to  sahmwge  tb« 
eablo  aetMp'tka  CNitf  iof  Si  Lawtaaoe,  the  undertaking  baring  baoa  d*> 
fbated  by  a  fda;  ^roriona  to  tb^  beworervlu  mi-aByigad  4tt1ioo»> 
Bei»tiiig  Speoli  irith  MtfcBah  by  a  ttne  awort  jbCgtoaita  of  BoBflUttt 


S." 


^i^ 


44 


tax  oomar  iieu»vinr. 


i:5 


\'M 


J- 


xu  gettujg  u  on  twioa  without  <Umi.g..  In  the  flnU  expedition Trwu 
^  of  the  numcroos  «Uff  of  the  Ag«nenu.on,  «d  wm  ^mon^  L  1^ 
energetie  and  the  moat  ikilfiiL  /      ^ 

-  MK.  DB  8ATTTT 

I.  one  of  the  most  praetiod  eIeolrici«»  in  the  employment  of  the  com- 
pany  M  hae  h«i  con^erable  «q.rience  i.  the  loZg  of  bTt   Ld 

t.on,Dr.Wh,tehonaehavingbeentooTmweUtogoto»S.  Mr.  de  Swtf 
tl^?  «^" -«/««»«  eWd  in  telegraphing,  the  greater  portion  of 
which  tune  he  devoted  hia,  attention  more  eBpecially  to  the  lajin^  df 
Bubmarme  liae.  and  the  construction  of  those  erec  J  on  p^lerihe 

^Sl"  ?xT  ""?'  ~'™"  *^*  ^'^"^  St.  Lawrence  wis  snc 

ce^fuUy  accomphshed  under  Ws  wperintendence-the  first  attempt 
wbch  was  made  in  1855,  under  tiie  directi,»n  of  Mr.  C«ming,  S 

th,  cable.     Mr.  de  Sauty  is  entitied  ako  to  the  credit  of  havin^^t  do^ 

W  "^'J?;'  f"  '^^'''  '"'"^  '^'-^^  Varna  with  B^J^vT 
I^n  1 ,  ^*v^'  '"  *^^  first  to^ploy  the  Mofte  inatr3  to 
submarme  telegraphing.    Mr.  do  Sauty  is  an  Englishman. 

*  MILCLIFFOBa  J     ^ 

mlT.T^'  Air*  "^  "^  ^««'''"'*y'  ""^  adraughtaniS  of 
S^  Et««"^  f  ^  »d  .equipment..  He  wa.  connfcteTwia 
I^  Everett  «  «» a««tal,t  iu  wperintending  and  fbrwarding  ti.e  m^ 
atructwn  of  the  pre«nt  m«Aine,y.  in  which  work  he  render^  aatS 
Jjmce.  The  «per.enee  which  he  obtained  from  his  couMotT^ 
tl«  engineprmg  de^tment  of  the  enterprise  during  the  first  expediti^ 
WBa  of  great  ^irantaie  to  him,  as  it  h«,  proved  2Ld  to  alllK^ 

^Srl.tli^T^''*"/*^  'u«i«.,]Ksdfreetfan,«id  hehS 

P»rt«a  eh«^  of  the  kyiqg  of  *lie  eabh  faw»;  tha*  d,i&    Ohe  of  rfS 

mam  feat^  i„  b|,.  ciiflbrd'.  character  i.  his  i^iX>^^l^ 

.^mmon  j^  to  FWoh  he  i^ipeai*  to  «uborfi,£ret«y  tC^ 


■■+ 


'«   i/U 


, -■..■?„■ 


m^m-lSM 


V',^  ,1  ^^„.,  _,  _jiy_i,'ji^' ; 


Wf^m^W^'-  T£r<;-:r-;Ri 


k^isf.sst  '■■■ ' 


BIOOBAmOlI.  BKKTORES. 


45 


MR.  J.  0.,  LAWS 

Wu  at  the  head  of  the  practical  memben  of  the  electrical  department, 
and  has  considerable  ingennity  in  meohani||Bal  matters.  Mr.  Lava  ia 
qnite  a  yonng  man,  and  has  not  long  commenced  his  education  in  the 
science  of  electricity,  bat  from  the  knowledge  he  has  already  aoqaired, 
he  promises  to  became  prominent  among  the  electricians  of  England. 
He  accompanied  the  Niagara  on  the  last  expedition. 

MR.  0HA8.  T.  BRIGHT 

Is,  the  Ohief  Engineer  of  the  company,  althongh  he  had  nothing  to  do 
with  the  construction  of  the  paying-out  machinery  used  in  the  last  expedi- 
tion. He  is  a  native  of  iJngland,  where  he  occupies  a  prominent  position 
among  scientific  men.^He  is  one  of  those  who  joined  with  Mr.  Field  in 
the  formation  of  the  Atlantic  Telegraph  Company,  and  rendered  con- 
nderablo  senrioe^  the  enterprise  in  the  ea^y  stages  of  its  history. 

MR.  WHITEHOUSB.      '   '    ? 

This  gentleman  is  one  of  .the  principal  .eleotriciaos  of  ihe  AUantio 
Telegraph  Company,  and  has  devoted  a  grwt  deal  of  time  and  aitentun 
to  the  submarine  telegraph  instruments  and  submarine  telegraphing. 
He  was  originally  a  physician,  but  his  devotion  to  this  particular  branoh 
of  science  led  him  to  abandon  the  priAitioe  of  his  profesuon,  and  tD' 
apply  himself  exclusively  to  electric  telegraphing,  partio^arly  to  exptiri* 
ments,  having  in  view  the  invention  of  an  instrument,  by  which  to 
ascertain  and  register  the  velocity  of  electric  currents  through  sub- 
fenarine  cables,  and  the  result  lof  which  has  been  the  production  of  a  ma- 
chine, by  means  of  which' the  possibility  of  transmitting  Messages  through 
two  thousand  five  hundred  miles  has  been  proved  so  /oOnelnsiVcily,  thai 
It  has  put  to  rest  all  doubts  that  might  have  been  ei^^ertidned  upon  tilie 
subject.  The  instrument  by  which  the  speed  of' the  "lightning "is 
ealonlated,  is  a  triplicate  Morse  registering  maohip«^,  upon  wbidi  vaAa 
wn  made  by  means  of  an  astronomical  doek  or  pe^dultun,  and  by  wbSA 
signals  are  produoed  on  the  entering  of  the  curre^  into  and  its  pas8a|^ 
out  of  the  wires,  showing  the  retaliation  of  th^  last  ourrent  in  gotsg 
through  great  Ifaugiiis.  This  is  aooomplished  by  a^pendulum  airrangement, 
beating  seoondii  and  making  marks  on  the  uppe/  part  of  a  strip  of  Moiliil 
reipstering  ]yi}>er,il^  middle  marking  style  or  ^«etrio  penlbHEribg  ooimMrt* 
ed  with  i^ie  nete«nd  <kF  ^e  cable,  and  ^e  botjiom  style  beini  odumMitM 
with  the  dutaiit  md.  '^<EHi  a^biiu!^  being  sti^t  into  tltt  wfiivj  ft  f^i;!^^ 
its  passage  immediately  on  the  middle  style,  t^d,  coming  otit  of  ih^lrilHl^ 
ihona  itn  imMngn  tor  wgMtwityr  ns  Jh^  hfnd  ttart  of  tholKrip  of  paper- 


V 


';  « 


♦ ' 


-J' 


■•.'V- 


-CM  J!  ^&.^*u 


<  I 


\lt 


M 


THK  OCBJLV  nUBOKAPB. 


i 

f 


PROF.   THOMPSOir 

dition..     He  ia  one  of  ii^^^nJS!^!^    "^  "'"'  *'^ 
MR.  /,  W.  BRETT. 

father  or  found*  0^^/  ^ST^lJl';.''"''"  "  ^"«'"'*  "  «>« 
tality  is  theBtroni«rtnr«i.#*l.-t-rT.  ,  *»<»>«ti  hu  lortnunen- 

goyen«nentofl«rfingao«Mn^e  A^r^f  P^  "*•«•  J^  *••«  ^"°°^ 
country  with  En,^  BeZZ^^I'^T'^'^J''''''^^'^''' 
down,  and  ««i,^jrS  th7JrK?T  *  ,  f  "'^•"'*  ^^^8  "^  i» 
Dove  and^J^Z^^t?"n  "'  *••'  ^^'"'»  <>-*«^.  ««« 
and  other  U^^^tZ  iSd^Z^l  !r*t  "^  ^"''^ 

I^intere-ted  lut..^Tu.nSLS:?^-  bSL^'^L^" 
original  projeoto»  of  the  ooBfmqj.  \^^'„^^  «»  of  the 

,  "  .      ("■'"'■'  '■■-..'  -    -    '  /^-^  ■■'■*  ^  ,  -  '  "r*  '' 

MR.  APPOEJr 
la  the  ioTentor  of  the  brake«,  whieh  hite  haei.  •>  «.«j-it^\    « 

P..ty  of'n.oner;ryrJ^^^  J^^i". 

hun«lf  moHtly  in  .xperin.ent.if  .  «eeh3  naLT  i'  t  ^  "^'*' 
h«  hobby,  wd  .  mwhine /d,op  hiTrtZtil?^  Mechanics  „« 
WredAtibte.  He  la  Jw.«i/!«v.„L  '*™»<»*  *>'  k""  that^«, 
exc^wbenworlS::^E'"*Sf,^^  ««^; 

carried  to  «.oh  an  exoZ-  to  b-ome^  coc^^STv  ^^"^  "• 
«  fUI  of  eridencea,  of  hi»  ne«ZTJlil!.r^  S  ^-  ^  "^  ^^ 
trivance  ereryga.'w'Tm^rir^  *^1"7''*^~^ 
fatter  do««  witS  a  -i-iUtanel  b-T  X^^  "^'^^ 

aohievemente  of -iw  «».:».    i.  ^Tt  ***  ^^'  •  *»^  of  the 


/ 


/ 


^H  M 


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^I  Bt^     ^W^^-.    >Mw*^ 


X 


BTOORAPHIOAt  BKXTOHSB. 


Alt 


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■As- 


^  ( 

( 

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i  1 

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.V?S^;»:^<V 


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k/ 


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OAVtAIII  W.  L.  BVDMX. 


THE  CAPTAIN  OF  THE  NIAGARA. 


'■#* 


Captain  W.  L.  ^^idaon  is  Already  well  kaown  to  otir  readen  on 
Moonnt  of  the  promioent  part  he  plajed  in  the  first  expedition,  and  ih« 
important  servioe  he  rel^dered  on  one  occasion  in  saving  the  cabb^ 
Twoog^hoQt  the  whole  overtaking  he  took  a  most  ftctiye  int^regi.  ja, 
every  tbii^  that  tended  to  promote  its  sucoesa.    On  the  memorable  ^Wlv 
ingof  tlie  7th  of  Aa|^t,  1857,  when  it  seemed  inmost  imposaibk  |)pi. 
save  the  mbb  from  sUpping  overboard  after  it  had  parted,  tod  when.!}^ 
thed  cihirf  «iifii|e«pr,  Mr  Bright,  had  ma<Se  no  provision  tQ,m«et  Ba9b,p||.^ 
emergeaojr,  be  held  the  broken  end  on  board  for  an  hour  with  a  hakwsei^^ 
vk^  the  mliee  wm  effi^ifced,  and  the  work  of  paying-out  oould  be  i^ 
/§S&»i.    C^ptidn  Hudabn  is  one  of  [ihe  oldest  and  most  respected  fM^M 
I  eeni  of  the  American  navy,  and  enjoys  a  high  reputation  for  his  abilitliBa  j 
and  jadgment  aa  a  seaman,  which  are  said  to  be  of  the  first  order. , 


V.  T 


'#*^' 


^ 

i 


^' 


;  '■£> 


%* 


48 


TBB  oeasAir 


■'.-  -(»■ 


Dunng  the  forty-two  yews  which  ho  iijWit ia'the  aervioe  of  hia  ocmntry 
•  n  T  ""^i.  ^  P"'^^^  ««f  ihwaoter  imd  tme  benevolence  of  he«rt 
He  h«  a  high  aenae  of  the*««pon«ibilities  which  his  position  derolves 
nponhimanda.de.TonitomeetthemMBnhonCBtn,anflhotdA  Dorinir 
♦t!^"ir^''"^'"''"^2^**"*^«<>«»*«'f  Brooklyn.  SeebJ 
tihe  fearfol  extent  of  it»  rarage^-that  itw«i  impo«ible  by  orZS 

vJL  V     U  * \      ^r''  *"'"*"  **  "^  «^  *^«  BuflererLhe  S- 
To^^,m,lf  to  the  noble  work  of  attendingon  the  sick.    Inthi-heroio 

^^^X.'^f  .^J^Mjjor».ll,of  BnH,klyn,  Bishop  MoDr^ne. 
jnd  two  o^er  gentle««t    This  ooSiauttee  of  five  woold  .ily  out  ererr* 

rilLZ  !!!!:;  :i™  ^«*  ^or «« poo"*  cu««,  who  thej 

nghtfbny  supposed  %er.ai«t  in  need  of  their  aid.    I?S^found  Jj 

hoj^al  or  attended  by  .  phytfdM,  at.their  own  how*    E»oh  day  the 

SS"  'tJ^  !!lf  ^^  ''  *^  comnutteeTSd  Z  Z^  ^ 
tients,  note  their  confitidn,  ^i  wh^  miy  of  them  diW,  see  that  the  W 

nteawereproperl^perfemed.  At  that  time  blood-fe^  was  teactised 
to  some  extent  a.  .  ««,edial  measure;  but  »  it  ittii  ibund  to  S2 
fc«fU7mi««iiycM«ii,»i»l,*|*iidoteA  TheVWfia|(i8iafii3eW 
It  w  understo^  among  the  fiTBt  to  adbpt  ae  use  ofll,  wUA^ 

imagm^  that  hK  drims  to  oouragi  «r  he««smwant  higher  evid^c^ 
Urn  wl^t  wj  hare  girent  He  was  promotod  to  the  poTttion  ofTort 
^jUm  by  the  late  Retiring  Board,  baring  served  throu^idll^X 
WJ«j  the  pu-atesoftWCbeoian  Archipelago  had  becole  so  boldW 
^71  *h«r  a^redtion.  upon  American  commerce  as  to  call  fol 
^^fantaedajdyofflptaction  on  the  part  of  our  goremment,  he  oec^! 
SL  AsfS  rf  «*>«>«  mastor  on  bo«d  the  doo,8  of  war  Wi^eit 

msels  rfthe  Btploring  Expedition  under  Commodow  Waiw,  which 
WM  ^Bnb«qul««y  lost  in  the  quicksands  of  CdlwnW*  rtrer  M* 
•  »^[on  bwid,  hdwerec.  was  lost.    Whib  oa  tUs  cruiM,  the  P&iioS' 

r!!J!^v     T^  '  ^^^"^^  ^'^^  "^  «"  «»^««1  <««*«!<»»-  would' 
ineviiaMyhaf»beenwr«>ked  amid  the  iee  bat  fbr  the  coolneii.  m 
pwsewon  and  setmanahip  of  her  ooitamander.    Prettooa  to  his  takinit 
command  of  the  Niagara,  Ofcptwn  Hudaon  held  the  poiit  of  OommaadS 
of  the  Brooklyn  Naty  Yard,  which  he  occupied  orer  «ix  jem 


>"?  ■ 


r,   .■■■    ■':(!  .-iAW' 


4-i 


,^l  . 


!|^^3;i^^>»:illt^ 


''■1.J- 


fl^Al. 


BIOOBAPHTOiO:.  8KBTCHX8. 


THE  CAPTAIN  OF  THE  AGAMEMNON. 


49 


A  change  took  place  in  the  command  of  the  Agamemnon  since 
1867,  her  former  commander,  Mr.  Noddall,  having  been  recently  ap- 
pointed to  another  post  The  gentleman  who  now  occupies  this  re-  ' 
c^nsible  position  is  Cteorge  W.  Preedy,  who  holds  the  rank  of  Post 
Captain,  and  who  is  some  twenty  odd  years  younger  than  Captain  Hud- 
son. The  difference  in  age  and  yet  the  quality  in  rank  in  both  these 
cases  IB  explained  by  the  fact  that  while  in  our  ^  service  seniority  is  al- 
most always  the  only  rule  for  promotion,  favoritjam,  and  distinction  in 
service  of  any  consequence,  generally  leads  to  elevation  in  rank  in  the 
British  navy.  The  difference  in  the  ages  of  the  two  Post  Captains  need 
ndt  therefore  be  a  subject  of  astonishment.  Captain  Preedy  has  served 
over  twenty  years  in  the  British  navy,  and  is  now  fbout  that  middle 
age  which  those  who  profess  to  kno^  every  thing  about  the  matter — 
and  who,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  ar&  fully  informed — say  that  a  man  is  in  full 
possession  of  all  his  physical  and  mental  powers.  The  age  is  fixed 
somewhere  between  forty  and  forty-five,  the  very  summit  of  the  hill, 
which  is  always  regarded  as  an  emblem  or  figure  of  life.  The  captain 
of  the  Aynmemnon  was  in  the  Baltic  fleet  daring  the  Russian  wu,  and 
served'  in.  the  capacity  of  commander  on  board  the  Duke  of  Welling- 
ton,*one  of  the  largest  propellers^  the  English  n^ivy.  He  is  regarded 
in  the  service  to  which  he  belongs  as  an  admirable  seamab  and  navi- 
gator, independent  of  which  hi^  many  fine  qualities  as  a  man  have  ac- 
quired for  him  a  well  deserved  popularity.  He  takes  a  ipcial  pride  in 
die  work  to  which  he  has  been  appointed,  and  to  which  his  qualifications 
as  a  commander  have  been  one  of  his  principal  recommendations. 

During  the  fearful  gale  of  eight  days  which  overtook  the  telegraph 
squadron  while  on  their  way  to  mid  ocean,  his  ship  wa«  placed  in 
imminent  peril.  There  never  was  an  occasion  that  required  morf 
coolness  and .  self-pcMseasion,  and  Captain  Preedy  proved  himself  fiilly 
equal  to  the  emergency.  For  eight  long  and  anilous  dAys  and  nights 
she  was  buffet^  by  the  fierce  storm,  but  the  gallant  captain  and  his 
brave  officers  battied  with  it  to  tbo  end,  and  saved  their  ship  and  its 
precious  freight  in  the  midat  of  dangers  that  might  well  appal  the  stloat: 
est  hearts.  All  honor  to  the  heroic  commander  and  to  the  gallant 
offiemi  and  orew  who  so  nobl^  seconded  his  efforts. 

TAB  CAPTAIN  OP  THE  GOBGON. 
Th«  British  Admiralty  have  ewrtainly  shown  >  great  deal  ofjudf- 


meol  m  the  appointinent  of  the  ooiimancler  of  the  Gorgon. 

4 


It  was  a 


' ,',;  .»„'t->'.,H?^ii*'>'-M/4;,1"  t-;  i     ''^' 


y>M 


-'^'T^^^^    .,/;'j  A«^{»;x..  iM^iidM^^^^T 


r       ^N 


;  f.  £-  ''Y- 


■' .  ^  ^;';*|A. ''  ■ 


50 


THE  OCEAN  TEXEOBAPH. 


I  i  ■ 


!■ 


f  i 


J  i 


matter  of  aome  importance  to  the  Atlantf  telegraph  Company  that  this 
officer  should  be  assigned  tft  the  post,  in  consequence  of  the  prominent 
part  he  performed  last  year.     He  rendered  important  service  by  sound- 
inga  which  he  took  on  the  plateau,  and  the  new  sources  of  information 
which  he  opened  to  scientific  iuTestigation.     In  the  report  which  he 
made  of  the  work,  he  has  sho^  himself  to  be  a  man  of  extensive  ac- 
quirements and  of  a  liberal  and  generous  mind— a  character  which  is 
rarely  met  with,  and  is,  therefore,  the  more  to  be  prised.     After  refer- 
ring in  a  modest  and  moderate  manner  to  the  way  in  which  he  acquitted 
himself  of  the  task  he  was-intrusted  with,6he  speaks  of  his  indebtedness 
to  Lieut.  Brook  and  the  use  of  his  "  ingenious  sounding  apparatus  ;  " 
alludes  to  the  assistance  he  obtained  from  his  own  officers  in  complimen- 
tary terms,  and  acknowledges  the  aid  he  received  from  the  mechanics  in 
the  preparation  of  the  machinery  for  the  work.     It  was  Commander  Day- 
man, it  may  bo  remembered,  who  made  the  sounding  at  the  time  the  cable 
broke  in  August,  1857,  and  reported  the  deptb  at  1,950  fathoms.     Soon 
after  his  return  and  the  presentation  of  his  report  he  was  promoted  from 
the  rank  of  lieutenant  to  that  of  commander,  and  still  furtljer  rewarded 
by  being  appointed  to  the  command  of  one  of  the  vessels  detached  for 
the  expedition.     Exclusive  of  the  service  which  he  has  performed  in 
connection  with  the  present  enterprise,  ho  is  looked  upon  as  one  of  the 
most  accomplished  officers  in  the  British  navy,  and  is  reputed  to  be  a 
•  gentleman  of  very  fine  scientific  attainments.     The  result  of  his  sound- 
ings  on  the  plateau  are  very  clearly  set  forth  in  his  report,  which  is  an 
unpretending,  unaffected  statement  of  all  the  details.     He  is  the  only 
one  of  the  English  isommanders  of  la?t  year's  expedition  who  has  been 
reappointed. 

CAPTAIN  W.  C.  ALDHAM.  | 

This  gentleman  is  the  captain  of  her  Majesty's  steamship  Valorow, 
which  accompanied  the  Agamemnon  while  laying  the  cable.  He  is  con- 
sidercd  one  of  the  most  efficient  officers  in  the  British  navy,  and  is'ii 
general  favlorite  among  all  who  know  him  in  the  service. 

CAPTAIN  HENRY  0.  OTTER 


Is  one  of  the  junior  Post  Captains  of  the 
forty  years  of  age!  He  commanded  one  of 
the  Baltie  d\mng  the  Russian  war.  He  has 
the  command  of  the  Poroupino,  which  la  one 
the  English  nary.  Captain  Otter  mk  the 
up  Trinity  Bay,  and  piloted  her  up  tbb  Bay 


-plaeo^  tbgeaWe. 


British  nayy,  being  about 
the  surveying  steamers  in 
but  recently  been  assigned 
of  the  smallest  steamers  in 
Niagara  while  on  her  wi^jr 
of  Bulk  Arm,  the  landiny 


1    I 


'  ,  f'  ' 


'■rt 


THE  NEWFOUNDLAND  SUBMARINE  TELEGRAPH. 


M 


THE  AUXlLIAfiY  TO  THE  ATLANTIC  LINE. 


aPRpPnBhe 


The  laying  of  jH||Hk,ariDe  cable  across  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence 
would  have  been  sHpPnshed  in  August,  1865,  but  for  a  most  unfortu- 
nate accident,  or  rather  series  of  accidents,  which  postponed  the  comple- 
tion of  the  work  for  another  year.  The  steamer  James  Adger  was 
chartered  by  the  New  York,  Newfoundland,  and  London  Telegraph 
Company  to  tow  the  vessel  in  which  the  cable  was  coiled,  and  which  it 
was  supposed  was  then  awaiting  her  arrival  at  Port  au  Basque,  a  small 
fishing  village  on  the  southern  coast  of  Newfoundland.  The  James 
Adger  left  New  Yorij  at  ten  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  7th  of  August, 
and  as  it  was  intended  by  the  Company  that  the  voyage  should  be  one 
of  pleasure  as  well  as  business,  they  invited  a  large  party  of  their  A-iends, 
to  whom  we  shall  without  further  ceremony  introduce  our  readers:— 
Peter  Cooper,  Mrs.  Cooper,  Prof.  S.  P.  B.  Morse,  Mrs.  Morse,  Master 
A.  B.  Morse,  Cyrus  W.  Field,  James  S.  Sluyter,  Robert  W.  Lowber, 
Mrs.  H.  W.  Lowber,  Miss  Ann  Redfield,  Rev.  Qardiner  Spring,  R^v. 
D.  E».  Field,  Rev.  H.  M.  Field,  Miss  Gracie  Field,  Miss  Alice  Vi^l^^ 
Miss"  Allen  L.  Hemdon,  Dr.  Lewis  A.  Sayre,  Mrs.  Lewis  A.  Sayre, 
David  A.  Sayre,  Wm.  M.  Swain,  Master  W.  J.  Swain,  John  Tborn^ey, 
Prof  F.  Sheppard,  Bayard  Taylor,  Miss  Liizie  Alger,  John  Conner, 
Rev.  J.  M.  Sherwood,  Mrs.  Ann  Palmer,  Mrs.  Edward  D.  Jones,  mm 
Mary  Stems,  Marshall  Brewer,  P.  N.  Gisboume,  Cha*  T.  Middlebrook, 
John  Mullaly,  T.  W.  Strong,  D.  C.  Hitchcock,  S.  A.  Richards,  B.  F. 
Ely,  H.  W.  Barron,  Geo.  H.  Brown,  A  A.  Raven,  F.  O'Brien,  P,  H. 
Palmer,  J.  P.  Palmer,  Chas.  J.  Smith,  Dr.  P.  A.  Bruyere,  John  O. 
Kip,  Chan.  H.  Houghton,  J.  W.  Kennedy,  Francis  Winton,  L.  P. 
Palmer,  Joseph  Jones,  Misa  Cooper,  Robert  Ruseell. 

The  weather  on  the  morning  of  which  we  have  spoken  was  all  that 
eould  be  desired ;  the  sun  shone  out  in  an  almost  cloudless  sky,  and  the 
light  breeze  that  rippled  the  Burfiuse  of  the  water  served  only  to  modente 
the  tntemity  of  the  summer's  he>t.     Every  thing  seemed  to  fiiTOT  th< 


enterprise,  and  the  crowd  that  thronged  the  deck  of  the  steamer  Won 


W 


f  J,   .'i  '  .<iF^ .*'■  H.'    ni 


I 


i*  '<i  ' 


^1  ri^f  > 
fi 


52 


-f^ 


THE  OOBAX  TELBORAPH.  / 


^H 


SM; 


I  ■»' 


in 


I 


I 

i 


I    i 


N,    and  i 


buoyant  wiA  bright  and  hopeftil  antioipationfl  of  the  fvtture.  There  waif 
an  unnsnal  bustle  on  Pier  No.  4,  North  Rirer,  that  morning ;  carriagw 
etime,  dashing  down  with  heavy  luggage  and  light-hearted  passeUgfra; 
ev  ery  body  was  in  every  body  elSe's  way ;  people  stood  upon  each  other'i 
toes,  and,  strange  to  say,  smiled  good  humoredly ;  porterTwith  aflanteai 
shoulders  carried  off  trunks  and  portmanteaus  of  all  imaginable  shap^ 
and  sizes,  and  deposited  them  in  the  most  out-of-the-way  places ;  ne^rfr- 
RWrs  were  eagerly  soliciting  customers  for  the  morning  papers ;  vend- 
er^N^f  light  literature  were  loud  in  their  praises  of  "the  Blood-red 
Aven^r,"  "  The  Desperate  Burglar,  or  the  Miser's  Fate,"  "  The  Bandit's 
CavCj  or^e  Robber's  Oath,"  and  a  host  of  other  works  equally  taking 
and  terrible jsfriends  congratulated  friends,  and  wished  each  other  a 
happy  voyage  and  safe  return ;  scientific  men  looked  graver  and  more 
important  than^ver,  and  pron«nnced  their  opinicHi  for  the  hundredth 
time  how  "  that  d^ble  "  ^ould  be,  laid ;  and  loud  above  the  din  and 
^     ^  bustle  and  oonfiisio^rose  the  shrill  whistle  of  the  steam-pipe,  announcing 

that  the  moment  of  di^>arlkre  was  near.  , 

"  Let  go  that  haws^  there,"  shouted  several  of  the  hands  as  they 
made  ready  to  start,  and^the  passengers,  who  had  till  this  time  been  is 
complete  possession  of  jie\  deck,  at  once  gave  way.     Then  there  was  a 
general  shaking  of  hand's,  '*>  hurrying  to  and  fro,"  the  last  passenger 
arrived  on  boarct  after  losing  his  hat  and  cane  in  his  desperate  strug- 
"gle  to  be  in  time,  the  last  rope  was  unfastened,  the  steam  whistle  gave 
out  its  last  warning  note,  every  bod^  was  told  for  the  la^t  time  to  "  look 
out, '  and  the  Jam^s  Adger  commenced  slowly  moving  out  into  the  river. 
Three  hearty  cheers  greeted  her  as  sbe  sWung  loose  from  the  pier,  and 
were  repeated  again  and  again  as  V*  swept  past.      A  salute  of  three 
guns  was  fired  from  her  bow,  which  wV«  rcspondftd  to  by  anotJier  from 
one  of  Spofford  &  Tileston's  riteamers,\8nd  the  United  States  frigate 
Potomac  holoored  the  company  uad  the  enterprise  in  which  they  were 
■  engaged,  aa  fim  as  the  strict  rules  of  the  Navy  allowed,  by  running  up 
the  Stars  and  Stripes  to  her  peak    Again  and  again  we  were  cheered  by 
oor  fiienda  who  crowded  the  end  of  the  pier,  until  only  the  &int  echo 
of  their  voices  could'  be  heard,  and  again  and  again  we  resposded  with 
.  a  rivalry  of  friendship  that  was  determined  pot  to  be  oatdoW 

We  were  soon  under  tall  headway  down  the  bay,  and  in  a  fisw 
minutes  oujr  fHends  beoame  indistinguishable  in  the  lengthening  distanoe. 
;  Th^  last  t«»  taw  of  them  wu  thn  ^gh  a  telescope,  |md  (here  they  still 
stood  at  t)ie  end  of  the  pier  waving  their  adieoa.  Gradually  we  lost 
tif^i  of  t|ie  large  publio  bnildbgs,  and  then  tin*  eity  itaelf  began  to 
disappear  below  the  horiion Andjiow  we  tiaim  i»ft  a^f^n  ItlMril 


behbd  na^  and  sweeping  past  Neviaink  are  out  npoa  the  <n>en  iea. 


*    vl*       ^   l^rti        «t     ^      .       1     -^'^    )     S 


n  1 


T&K  tanrrovKDhASD  casve. 


.  ■»,•■ 


53 


/  Oar  first  night  on  the  water  wm  marked  bj  a  grand  display  of 
,  oelestUl  pyrotechnics  that  illuminated  the  whole  heavens,  and  converted 
the  Kquid  element  ^hroogh  which  we  ploughed  our  way  into  an  ocean 
of  #re.  It  appeared  as  if  the  powers  of  the  air  had  determined  *o 
signalize  our  miasio^  and  they  did  so  in  tt  peculiarly  appropriate  manner. 
The  scene  was  .ont^  of  those  which  could  never  be  forgotten.  Daring 
the  evening  an  eleetrio  machine  was  brought  upon  the  upper  deck,  and 
it  wa«  there  when/ the  night  set  in..  Beside  it  sat  Professor  Morse,  ita 
inventor,  who  ha4'  been  explaining  thje  principle  of  its  construction  to  the 
company  but  a  few  hours  before.  Here  and  there  were  Kttle  groiq>s, 
some  on  the  bow,  some  on  the  wheel-house,  and  others  soatterod  about 
the  deck  enjoying  themselves  in  pleasant  social  intercourse.  The  sweet 
music  of  woman's  voice  singing  some  favorite  melody  gave  a  new  attrao* 
tion  to  the  scene.  At  first  the  lightning  flashed  in  bro&d  sheets  along  ' 
,  the  horizon,  then  rapidly  extending  towards  the  zenith  it  lit  up  the^sk^ 
with  an  almost  dazslii^  brQlianoy.  From  behind  the  denae  heavy  masseti 
of  black  clouds  that  hung  on  the  ocean's  verge  wete  flung,  as^if  by  onseen' 
hands,  huge  balls  of  fire  tliat  left  a  track  of  flame  to  mark  tlieir  course 
along  the  heavens.  At  intervals  gigantic  fiery  serpents  darted  frou  thoc . 
place  of  ambush,  writhing  and  twisting  in  their  tortuou&irliiy  tbroigfwthe 
ebon  vault  above,  and  then  again  all  was  dark  as  midnight.  jQhtdoally 
the  clouds  spread  over  the  sky,  shutting  out  thq,  pale  and  twinkling  light 
of  the  stars,  and  the  flashes  of  lightning  beoame  more  vivid  and  morei 
frequent  until  the  whole  heavens  was  one  mass  of  flame.  For  two  htnuf  ' 
we'gaaed  on  this  magnificent  spectacle,  until  the  heayy  drops  of  rain 
warned  us  of  the  ooming  storm  and  drove  us  anwil^gly  to  seek  shelter 
from  its  fury.  '  ,    > 

That  night  we  had  a  oOBOcrt  in  the  tSler  oaWn  at  whioh  everybody 
was  present,  and  in|rhich  all  who  had  voice  for  music  and  some  who  had 
not,  joined.^  ISome  of  the  best  airs  from  Robert  Le  Diable,  asxi  other 
popular  operis,  were  sung  with  the  most  exquisite  taste  by  one  of  oos 
lady  passengers,  t^d  then,  to  give  variety  to  the  entertainment,  we  hit4 
the  choicest  jlelejtion  from  Negro  Minstrelsy.  "  Robert  tpi  qtej'ainie,"' 
by  the  "Dandy  Broadway  SweU;"  and  " The  Ooloiie4  ' 
shared  the  apj^use  with  "  Come  per  m'a  Serena"  Ihf 
ell  to  his  lady-love  was  sung  by  a  votary  of  the  oomio  nnuWf 
evident^  a  pathetio  subject,  and  one  in  wbieh  the  afi)r^ 
said  fair  oie  and  her  "gidliaat"  lover  churned  the  [^ynpathy  qf  th« 
hmrers,  thol  tale  of  their  distress  was  heard  with  the  most  mafeelisg 
uwliffiBreocejand  the  end  of  eatdi  verse  yrun  the  signal  fo»  an  outburst  qf 


was  foUov 
Fancy  BaU,]! 
sailor's  fiurei 
and  althot 


■| 


was,  as  Doi;berry  lajs,  "  tttost  tollable  and  not  to  be  «adar«d."   fhi$n 


«»     -Ki 


<•    <l 


♦      • 


\  ^^'-^Mh^^j^l 


*. 


|i      £•!  '< 


04 


THB  OtaCAK  TKLBOEAPH. 


waa  one  portferf  of  the  song  which  in  justice  to  the  composer  we  mnst 
q^e,  aa  it  is  in  j^  waj  a  perfect  gem,  and  wiU  serve  to  show  the  reader 
*»t  a  glance  the  saa  plight  of  the  lovers : 

"  WWle  ^M  ar*  OB  jom  ahentle  bed  (sUeepIn'  flut  mU««ii,  ». 

^,*  ?•  pporJoU^  mUms  we  ploughing  on  xe  xeep."  ' 


The  reader  will  perceive  from  this  thit  the  song  is  slightly  fcreign, 
ai^fd  that  '■■  the  Sweet  German  accent "  is  one  of  ih  most  attractive 
features. 

But  the  concert  like  all  other  Subltfnary  things  had  an  end,  and  all 
retired  for  the  night  to  dream  over  the  pleasing  scenes  and  incidents  of 
the  day.  The  strains  of  music  gradually  died  away,  the  merry  laughter 
of  the  gay  and  light-hearted  company  was  hushed,  and  the  only  soundB 
that  broke  the  stillness  of  the  night  were  the  mcuotbnous  dash  of  the 
waves  and  the  ceaseless  din  and  clangbr  of  the  mighty  machinery. 

Early  on  Sunday  morning,  the  12th  of  August,  we  came  within 
sight  of  Newfoundland,  and  as  may  be  supposed,  there  was  considerable" 
excitement  on  board.     There  it  lay  like  a  dark  cloud  on  the  horison, 
and  there  were  sage  speculations  among  those  who  professed  to  be 
learned  in  nautical  matters,  as  to  whether  it  was  really  a  cloud  or  the     •. 
Ishind  itself.     Grave  arguments  were  held  on  the  subject,  always  termi- 
nating,  however,  with  the  unsatisfactory  conclusion  of  "wait  and  youH 
see,"  whicb  we  all  philosophically  concluded  to  do,  as  it  was  the  only 
course  left.     Gradually  the  cloudy  indistinctness  of  the  knd  drsap- 
peared,  and  as  the  more  prominent  points  of  the'  coast  became  visible 
not  a  soul  could  be  found  who  didn't  beUeve  it  was  real,  genuine,  bon^ 
fide  terra  firma  from  the  very  commencement.     About  five  hours  be- 
fore  we  reached  Port  au  Basque,  where  it  was  expected  we  would  find 
the   Cable  Shif),  the  bold  promontory  of  Cape  Kay,  which  is  the  ex- 
treme ^puth-westerh  limit  of  Newfoundland,  was  visible  from  the  deck 
of  the  ste^er.     All  the  telescopes  on  board  were  brotight  into  requisi- 
tion, iopei>  glasses  were  in  great  demand,  and  those  who  were  not  so 
fortunate  as  to  possess  either,  strained  their  eyes  looking  through  spec 
tacles  and  spy-glasses  in  the  vain  hope  that  they  would  see  somethinv 
like  a  ship  twenty  mUes  off,  and  firmly  believing  that  that  ship  wheS 
found  would  be  the  very  one  we  were  in  search  o£     We  oouW  perceive 
the  flshermeto/s  huts  when  within  a  distance  of  eight  or  ten  miles,  but 
no  vessel  except  a  few  fishing  sma oka  greeted'our  aoxibus  ga«e.     It  was 
suggested  that  at  a  portion  of  the  harbor  was  hidden  from  the  view  by 
high  rocks,  she  taight  no«  be  visible  from  sea;  but  even  that  hope  Wis 
dispelled  when  we  arrived  at  its  entrance.     Two  scheoaers  were  lyirtg^    _ 


=Sf«ffiorWC^irtheCabfe  Stipfiia  not  .^^ 


'   « 


t»'"f.^*S',.t"' 


THE   NBWFOtmDLADD  OABMi. 


5fi 


though  they  were  expecting  her  arrival  over  two  weeka.  A  vessel  vwas 
seen  on  ihe  morning  of  Saturjiay  answering  to  the  description  of  our 
ship  standing  off  Port  an  Basque;  it  was  blowing  so  hard,  however,  and 
the  wind  was  so  adverse,  that  she  was  obliged  to  put  to  sea  again^^ 

This  was  a  great  disappointment,  aa  the  weather  was  most  favorable 
for  the  laying  of  the  oable,^and  as  we  intended  to  begin  work  at  the 
earliest  hour  ,n  Monday  morfabg.  In  this  dilemma  we  could  do  noting 
but  either  await  the  arrival  of  the  Sarah  L,  Bryant,  or  go  direct  to  St. 
Johns,  which  we  intended  to  visit  before  our  return  to  New  York,  pay 
our  respects  whilp  there  to  the  autho/ities  of  Newfoundland,  and  aft^er  ' 
«  brief  stay,  Call  at  Port  au  Basque  a^ain,  *here  it  was  confidently 
ezpected  we  would  find  the  object  of  our  search  if  she  had  not  foui- 
Qered  at  sea.  We  lay  outside  the  harbor  three  or  four  hours  to  land 
some  articles  which  were  required  in  the  construction  of  the  telegraph  • 
at  that  point.  Some  of  the  members  of  the  Company  went  ashore, 
where  they  were  met  by  Mr.  Canning,  an  experienced  engmeer  fpon^i 
London,  who  was  engaged  to  superintend  the  laying  of  the  cable.  H^ 
confirmed  what  we  had  heard  about  a  vessel  hiving  been  seen  off  the 
coast  the  day  before.         ,  . ,  1       '         - 

As  our  stay  here  was  very  brief)  and  aa  many  of  us  only  saw  t^e 
land  from  the  deck  of  our  steamer,  we  could  form  no  correct  idea  <tf 
its  character.     It  had  a  wild,  bleak  and  inhospitable  look,  however,  add  '  . 

the  account  that  our  pilot,  who  had  visitecl  it  frequently,  gave  us  oftt 
was  any  thing  but  pleasing.     It  was,  he  said,  nothing  but  rock  and  bog,  / 

interspersed  here  and  there  with  deep  holes  and  quagmires,  which,  le 
jooularly  informed  us,  it  would  be  touch  easier  to  get  into  thin  to  rtt 
out  o£  But  after  all,  the  majestic  hills  that  towered  to  the  haght  Af 
fifteen  hundred  feet  abtfVe  the  ocean,  the  huge  masses  of  rocks  tit  ,; 

Kned  the  coast,  and  the  restless  sea,  whose  waves  broke  m  foam  at  tb«ir    •  | 

feet,  imparted  to  ttie  scene  a  sublimity  that  all  the  bogs  and  quagmi^ 
imd  holes  could  not  affect  """.  s     ■ 

The  greate^.portion  of  the  southern  coast  of  Newfoundland  was  yi|i^- 
ble  from  the  deck  of  our  steamer  during  nearly  the  whole  period  of  ^ 
passage  from  Port  au  Basque  to  St.  Johns.  T|ie'  character  of  tie  oOMt 
scenery  was  the  same  throughout,  presenting  to  the  eye  of  the  voyaAar  ^ 

ijothing  but  bold  rugged  cliffs,  which  in  some  places  roge  precipitoupty 
out  of  the  watar  to  the  height  of  three  or  f^ur  huni-ed  feet  On  Ihe 
morning  of  the  14th  of  August,  about  seven  o'clock,  we  were  withih  a 
Uv(  miles  of  our  place  of  destination.  Every  body  was  up  early,  foy  we 
had  heard  so  much  of  the  harbor  of  St  Johns  and  th«  approach  toit,  4at 
we  determined  to  see  all  that  was  to  be  seen.  P 


T 


.( 


'i)tj,   »r-  J 


um 


i  ■'• 


W- 


,''   •  >?■'     '>)^tV'v\^^  '- 


r,|    . 


'I* 


r  I 


J: 


,J 


I': 


TBM  ooKAs  TBtxeaukra.  ■> 

The  morning  of  oar  trriral,  unfortunately,  was  rainy,  and,  u  may 
supposed,  the  city  did  not  appear  to  the  best  advkutag*;   but  the 

irandeuf  of  the  suitounding  scenery,  and  especially  that  of  the  coast, 
more  than  made  up  for  the  annoyance  we  felt  in  consequence  of  the 
weathei;.     The  island  is  protected  on  the  east  b]^he  same  bold  moun- 

tainous  line  of  coast  which  we  had  observed  aU  along  its  southern  ex- 
tremity.  Steep  rooks  rise  to  the  height  of  seven  and  eight  hundred  &et 
almost  perpendicularly  out  of  the  water,  'wjiich  is  so  deep  that  the  largest 
vessel  might  pass  alongside  within  a  few  feet  with  perfect  safety.  In 
some  places  their  front  is  scarred  by  deep  seams  *hjoh  extend  from 
their  very  summits,  not  unfrequently  terminating  in  huge  oaves  at  their 
base.  We  felt  the  strongest  curiosity  to  enter  some  of  these,  und  make 
explorations  in  their  hidden  recesses,  hj^  had  no  opportunity  of  doing 
so,  and  were  obliged  to  leaye  withput  gratifying  our  desire.  They  were 
just  Buolr  caves  as  we  had  read  of  long  ago  b  our  days  of  novel  reading, 
recalling  to  mmd  the  thrilling  aifVentures  of  pirates  and  smugglers,  with 
their  long,  low,  black  schooners.    _^_^ 


■I 


4 


■atBAmn  n>  n,  «oaaX  ifcilt.. 


Tho  entfanoe  into  the  harbor  is  so  oonoealed  from  the  view  at 
sea,  that  we  xsotlld  not  perceive  it  till  within  a  distance  of  half  a  mUe 
On  the  right  rises  Signal  Hill,  to  a  height  of  at  least  six  hundred  feeL 
overlooking  the  town,  and  commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  country,  which 
extends  behind  it  like  a  gigantic  panorama.  TTe  summit  of  this  hUl  is 
■Oiggggd  with  a  fortification,  .ad  at  ita  boac  is  another,  neith^  of  which.- 


J 


'h 


.       .  %4i>^  1"/  •'*  ^  ^'^  -y    .  '  ,#  '-  .'  ,-, 


1«  .  t   . 


THE  VKWwovtfTnaany  0M3k^- 

in  their  prnsent  oondition,  would  be  oapable  of  resiating  a  w«U  tnurtaiined 
attack  by  sea  and  land.     Th«  entrance  or  Narra4r8,  as  it  is  called,  ia, 
\  however,  well  defended  by  other  forta,  and  in  me  last  warj  it  waa  jpro- 
\teoled  by  an  unmenae  iron  oha'a  extending  a<)rosa  and  fastened  to  the 
^oks  on  either  side.     The  marks  left  by  drill^j^  holes  in  the  rooks  ue 
s^ill  visible,  as  are  also  the  remains  of  an  old  cannon  and  anchor  whidi 
hiA  served  as  holdfasts  for  the  chain.     Opposite  Signal  HiU,  on  tha 
otdier  side  of  the  Narrows,  rises  another  hill,  or  monntain,  as  it  shoqld 
mo^e  properly  be  termed,  to  an  elevaiionr  above  the  level  of  the  water 
of  Aver  six  hundred  feet.     On  the  oUie/side  of  this,  and  about  one  hnn-  '' 
dred  and  fifty  feet  from  itsJbstieTanother  fort  has  been  erected,  in  the 
cenljre  of  which  stands^^tife  light-honse.     While  pacing  this  point  we 
wer^  hailed  by  a  selmer,  who  inquired  where  we  were  from,  and  how 
many  days  we/were  out,  and  having  SMwered  him^iwe  gave  the  good 
peo]|>le  of  «t  Johns  notice  of  our /approacB  with  a  thundering  salute  that 
was  repeated  a  hundred  times' by  the  ^hoing  hills.     The  Narrows  is 
about  a  third  of  a  mile  in  length,  while  it  varies  in  width  from  three  to 
fifteen  hundred  yards,  and  wja  doubtless  formed  in  one  of  those  terrible 
coijivulBions  to  which  the  w^le  island  seems  to  have  been  subjected,  and 
to  which  it  probably  owei^  its  origin.     It  appeared  as  if  the  mountain 
hail  been  lorn  apart,  leayug  a  safe  passage  open  to  the  harbor.     The 
cit^  is  built  on  the  side  of  a  hill  that  ascends  gradually  to  a  height  of 
about  a  hundred  and  fif^y  feet,  and  presents  an  exceedingly  picturesque 
ap|pearanc«.    It  ovwlooJca  the  hArbor,  wfaioh  is  a  little  over  a  mile  in 
length,  (tnd  a  quarter  of  a  milo  in  width;  and  which  is  one  of  the  best 
in  the  world,  affording  at  all  time^  a  jnfe  anchorage  for  ships  o[  th« 
largest  dimentiions.    The  first  thing   that  strikes  tite  visitor  Ut  iU 
peculiar  formation.     After  you  have  passed  the  entrance  it  htm  the  ap' 
pearance  of  a  lake,  so  completely  is  it  shut  in  firom  tlie  ocean.    Gigkii> 
tie  hills  tower  above  fod  m  every  mde,  ex^t  that  on  which  the  city 
stands,  and  on  their  rough  and  rugged  deoEvitiet  littla  patehes  of  gai| 
dens  have  been  made  by  Hkt)  more  ittdestrious  of  the  fishermen,  iir&0«e 
cottages  help  to  subdue  the  natural  wildness  of  the  scene.    JS^  ^e 
water's  edge,  and  all  around  the  harbor,  are  erected  the  stages  ^ 
'*  flakes  "  as  they  are  termed,  on  which  the  oodfbh  are  cured.  i^    X 

The  town  of  St  Johns  has  no  public  buildings  that  oa^  lay  olaiitti  iO.^ 
arobitectural  pretensions,  with  the  exception  of  Uie  Carftolio  CatbedraL 
which  is  a  large  and  imposing  edifice,  built  in  the  ptyle  of  the  B(Hni^' 
Basilica,  and  capable  of  holding  ten  thousand  persons,  or  little  less  than 
half  the  population  of  the  whole  city.    It  cost  about  five  hundred  tbofl-. 
-aaad  dollars,  aad-haa  several  fine  peecfr  of  seulpturey 


a 


m 


or  three  of  the  best  productions  of  Hogan,  the  celebrated  Irish  sculptor. 


§f^^*f^' 


•«*» 


'St-w? 


^1# 


,%*( 


^S,;;K;-5r 


68 


THB  OCOtAJr  TKLKOKAPH. 


[     I 


ii 

'i 

i  ■ 

1 

'1 

\'f 

3 

ll 

'i 

m 


I 


1  i 


The  Colonial  Building,  aa  the  structure  in  which  the  legiaUtive  busineas 
of  the  Island  is  transacted  is  called,  was  built  a  few  years  ago  at  an 
expense  of  about  two  hundred  thousand  dollars.     It  is  a  square  granite 
building,  two  stories  high,  with  a  large  portico  in  front,  supported  by 
six  Ionic  pillars.      It  contains  the  chambers  of  the  two  logislatire 
branches,  the  House  of  Assembly  and  the  Legislative  Council,  besides 
the  library  and  a  number  of  smaller  apartments.     A  short  distance 
from  the  Colonial  Building  is  the  Governor's  house,  in  which  Ohas. 
,     H.  Darling,  the  then  Governor  of  the  Island,  resided.     The  country 
around  St.  Johns  is  remarkable  for  the  diversity  as  well   as  the  beauty 
of  its  sceuety.'   In  the  afternoon  of  the  day  on  which  we  arrived, 
a  party  of  us  enjoyed  the  luxury  of  a  ride  along  an  exquisite  little  valley 
called  the  Vale  of  Ri^crhead.     The  roads,  which  branch  out  in  eVery 
direction  from  the  city  are,  withbut  the  least  exaggeration,  among  the 
finest  in  the  world ;  and  Topsail  Road,  which  runs  along  the  side  of  one 
of  the  hills  that  form  the  boundary  of  this  valley,  affords  one  of  the 
most  delightful  drives  iff  this  part  of  the  country.     As  you  ascend  the 
more  elevated  parts  of  it  you  can  see  the  whple  town  of  St.  Johns,  the 
harbop  which  lies  at  its  feet,  and  the  lofty  crest  of  Gibbet  and  Signal 
Hills,  towering  in  the  more  remote  distance,  beyond  which  the  deep' 
blue  of  the  Atlantic  is  visible  through  the  huge  gaps  of  the  coast  moun- 
tains.    Below  you,  almost  a|  your  feet,  lien  the  Vale  of  Riverhead, 
forming  in  its  quiet  beauty  a  taiarked  contrast  with  the  wild  mountain 
scenery  by  which  it  is  surrounded.     A  small  stream  fed  by  tiny  rivulets 
from  the  rough  sides  of  the  mountains  poprs  its  olear  waters  through 
the  centre  of  the  valley,  making  sweet  music  aa  it  sweeps  sparkling  over 
its  rocky  bed.    In  some  places  its  course  i*  broken  by  miniature  cas- 
cades, that  glitter  like  a  shower  of  diamonds  in  the  warm  sunlight, 
while  in  others  it  is  almost  wholly  concealed  from  the  sight  by  over- 
hanginir^rees,  beneath  whose  shade  it»  waters  beiJome  black  as  midnight. 
It  is  a  trout  stream  too— just  such  a  one  as  Walton  would  have  de- 
lighted to  angle  in.     Beautiful  little  cottages  dot  its  banks,  and  here 
and  there  may  be  seen,  through  the  jealous  foliage  thAt  clings  around 
them,  the  more  ihiposing  mansions  of  the  wealthier  ibhabitants  of  St. 
Johns.     It  is  a  lovely  scene,  and  might  have  tempted  a  less  ardent 
admirer  of  the  beauties  of  nature  than  we  professed  to  be,  to  linger  a 
few  weeks  amoilg  its  attractions.     But  necessity-  -"  stem  necessity,"  as 
the  poet  calls  it — interposes:  the  cable  must  be  laid,  and  in  a  few  days 
more  the  charming  Vale  of  Riverhead  will  be  lost  to  our  view,  perhaps 
forever. 

Saturday,  the  18th,  was  the  day  fixed  forofar  departure,  bnt  still  wq_ 


were  unwilling  to  leave  till  we  had  made  sdme  return  fo*  the  hospitality 


-^; 


"         1 


1  :  < 


y 


rwa  NKWFomn>LAND  oabub. 


59 


we  had  received  from  the  peoplki  of  St.  Johns.  The  Oompiusy,  therefore, 
inT'tod  over  two  hundred  of  (he  principal  inhabitants  of  the  city  on  ap 
excursion  about  ten  miles  ^dtside  the  harbor ;  'and  about  twelve  o'olook 
we  Bet  out  with  one  of  tb^  mo8t  pleasant  and  sociable  parties  that  was 
evet  collected  on  the  deck  of  a  steamer.  The  day  was  as  fine  as  could 
be  desired,  and  the  ^enery  of  the  coast  magnificent.  We  saw  the 
"  Speiiting  Book  "  ai^  it  is  called,  which  is  one  of  the  greatest  natural 
curiosities  in  the  island,  and,  perhaps,  in  the  world.  The  rock  itself  is 
not  more  than  thirty  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  has  a  cavity 
in  its  centre  which  runs  through  it  to  the  base,  and  which  is  from  six  to 
seten  feet  in  diameter.  A  small  stream  of  fresh  water  flows  from  an 
overhanging  hfll  into  this  oftity,  and  when  the  tide  is  out  finds  its  way 
through  an  opening  in  the  rcnk  into,  the  sea. »  When  the  tide  is  coniing 
in  the  vr&vea  rush"  with  sucl  force  into  this  hole  as  to  throw  the  fresh 
water  in  tne  cavity  to  a  height  of  twenty,  and  sometimes  forty  feet. 


■FOimin}  BOOK,  KMAM  n.  tomrn. 


■:?#■ 


/ 


After  a  pleasant  trip  of  two  or  three  hours  along  the  obast  we  returned 
with  our  guests  to  the  harbor,  where  we  parted  with  many  mutual 
regrets.  Cheer  after  cheer  was  given  and  returned,  handkerchiefs  were 
waved,  and  when  we  oould  hear  each  other  no  longer,  the  cannon  thiin- 
dored  out  our  adieus.  While  passing  through  the  narrows,  Mr.  Huested, 
who  was  engaged  bv  the  Company  to  tlast  the  Merlin  Rock,  which  lay 
right  in  t|ie  way  of  Vessels  entering  the  harbor,  and  which  was  very  dan- 
gerous to  those  of  the  largest  class,  got  up  a  grand  submarine  explosion 
J[9L9Hff P^*?!  T^S^^r^^y^^'^-rr T^yp  fattj  hardly  passed  OYerthftjOfik. 


when  ^e  explosion  took  place,  throwing  up  a  vast  body  of  water  tath*' 


'  '^i 


«-■■ 


'11 
'"'in' 

,«■ 
I.'." 


il 


m 


.         ■'^^f!- 


i;    .1 


s;r 


.-  J 


*  .■  . . 


S     '    .; 

!  :  ;  t  '- 


]  I?  I 


,(1 4^  ; 
f  1    = 


ii  ■. 


Ii- 


^^'I^VN,'"!/ 


« 


iWB  ocBijur  mjBoiupa. 


hdght  of  ,i,ty  or  -erenty  tm,  and  taking  th«  moantilinB  on  eltkw 
«de  hke  an  eart^^ake.     Our  vesael  tr«„blti  with  the  conUn  InJ 

pa«engo™,  to  the  great  abasement  of  those  who  escaped.     On  clearing 

B^^t  awi       "     '^"''  '^"^  '*  •'^"*«»  *«  «"<»  the  Sa^i  L. 
orTant  awaiting  oar  return.  «  "•"•u  u. 

About  fire  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  20tl.  nf  A«»««* 
to  Port  in  JJ.I,..  to  d^„  „ij^  u,  jn-J 

tohope.  WhUe  we  wore  i^oulating  on  the  probability  of  S  be  ng^ 
S««h  L.  Bryant,  a  toaU  row  boat  waa  observed  approaching  our  st^nT 
and  m  less  than  half  an'hour  we  were  within  haiSg  dis  tanJ  ^or. 
those  n.  ,t  wa-  Mr.  Sluyter.  the  eaptain  of  the  vfetoria,  which  3 
also  be  ^en  lying  in  the  harbor.  Mr.  Field,,  who,  with  Jeral  otZ. 
was  on  the  bow  of  the  «t<«nier  «uio«8ly  awiiiia.,  7hl  I    ^     ' 

hailed  them.  «««io«8iy  awaiting  their  approach,  now 


■Amaos  or  ion  xv  Mjmvan. 

"Has  the  bark  arrived ? »  he  cried  out,  in  a  stentorian  voice. 
A  wave  of  the^hat  was  the  only  reply;  but  it  was  enough,  and  om 
wild  enthuaiastic  hurra  broke  from  those  on  board  thn  .U,^^j^^^ 
"Hold  on    KoM  nn  "  .«;j   Tlf-    i!«:„ij   «_..".„  ^    - 


"Hold  on,  hold  on,"«ud  Mr.  Field,  "  wait  "till  we  areceruL" 


U< 


■  -■    ■■+    -r  ■■■'»#**• 


^^^ 


f: 


THB  i»cwfoinn>i.An>  oabue. 


61 


Then  repoating  hin  question,  he  was  answered  in  the  affirmatire.  The 
oompany  were  all  impatience  to  give  Tent  to  their  enthusiasm,  bat  they 
restrainefl  their  feelings  for  a  few  moments, longer. 

"  When  did  she  arrive  ?  "  he  asked.  ■'''g^itQ^      ' 

"  On  Wednesday,"  was  the  reply.  0^^m^. 

This  was  sufficient,  we  were  ampl3iam|^^M|juixiety  we  snffered, 
and  three  soch  cheers  as  followed  the  cBBMllliCnw  seldom  been  heard. 
After  all,  we  had  not  come  from  New  riifll^w^^^itless  errand,  and 
we  would  yet,  if  favored  a  little  longeripP^lSabled  to  lay  the  cable 
whioh  is  to  b«  the  first  link  in  oonneoting  the  Old  World  with  tb«  Hew, 
and  bringing  the  people  of  both  ooiitinenta  into  instant  commnnioatioD , 
with  each  other.  After  all,  we  oo.old  tell  qnr  friends  on  our  return  thai 
we  had  aooomplished  the  great  undertaking,  and  that  the  first  important 
submarine  telegraph  had  been  laid  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic, 

We  hitd  now  reached  the  entrance  to  the  harbor,  and  could  distinctly 
see  the  masts  of  the  long  expected  vessel  towering  above  the  roois,  with 
the  stars  and  stripes  flying  from  her  mii^on  peak.  In  a  few  minfitea 
more  we  gave  her  a  salute  from  onr  cannon,  and  ere  the  echoes  died 
away  among  the  distanb  bills,  the  little  Victoria  responded  again  and 
again,  till  she  was  completely  enveloped  in  a  cloud  of  smoke^  It  WM 
a  grand  sight  for  the  people/>f  Port  an  Basque,  the  quiel  of  whose  little 
village  was  never  before  disturbed  with  such  boisterous  rejbicing.  A 
number  of  children  were  amusing  themselves  on  the  side  oi  JimJ^ilB 
which  bound  the  harbor,  and  enjoying  the  ac^ne  before  them^pnpUt*- 
greatest  aest,  but  the  first  report  set  them  scampering  like  afl^d|f. 
frightened  deer,  and  fearing  a  second  attack,  they  disappeared  like  magie^ 
In  a  few  minutes  we  were  anchored^-alongside  the  bark,  auL  all  was  »• 
citement  and  bustle  among  the  passengerik  W9  all  wanted  to  go  ashore, 
but  as  the  number  of  boats  was  not  eqnal  to  the  demand,  many  had  to 
remain  on  board.  It  was  soon  asoertained  that  it  would  be  imposaiblo  ' 
to  commence  the  work  of  laying  the  cable  for  twp  or  thrde  days,  so  tlitt 
there  would  be  an  opportxmity  for  eyery  one  to  giratii^  their  desire.  Th« 
Sarah  L.  Bryant  had,  it  appeared,  very  tempestaons  weather,  and  for^  ^ 
twenty-six  hours  wi  j  exptmed  to  all  the  fury  of  a  terrible  gale^  dorii^ 
whiol  her  hatehes  wer»  battened  Mid  she  jras  running  onder  bare  pole«. 

On  the  arri  al  of  the  James  Adger  at  Port  an  Basque,  we  fbjand 
that  the  mechl^u  -.-Mrruigements  oft  board  the  Sarah  L.  Bryant,  for  the 
laying  of  the  oablef  were  not  completed.  It  was  i^eaolved,  under  these 
oiroomstances,  that  the  steamer  should  go  to  0^>e  Nwth  and  seleet  the 
best  and  nearest  portion  of  the  coast  \o  Cape  Bay,  the  point  of  ooiineo< 
lioo.  Mr.HPield-and  auiav  biaUiub  or  e^twa  trf  tlw 'pMengNV'TV 
mained  at  Port  tjjo.  Basque  till  the  return  of  the  steMAer,  and  as  we 


1/i 


i^J 


4^  u- 


%' 


A' 


'     Jwjij||iV*l%«.    , 


1  "i  V'^  1-  • 


62 


THE  OCEAN  TELEGHAPH. 


& 


rOVt  Atr  BASQITK. 

to  make  up  for  tho  inequalities  in    h/w.        7.     "''"'  ""'''  ""•'^^'^ 

operation  of  coiling  alone  took  fourteen  ays  V/e  lach  !"  '  ""'  '" 
simple  m  its  construction,  and  was  thmm^Il^i,  T  '"ach.nery  was  very 
Mediterranean  cable      Tl  p  ^17  ***  """  "'"'^  '"  ^'-^^'''g  ^^  - 

-  roller,  andtt  th?s  Sir,  ^eZl^r^^^^^"^^^^^^^^^ 
it  passed  again  over  two  large  whlu  ^  ^ Lfh  f  7  I-  '""  "'"'' 
these  revolved  it  w,«  th,^        wneei8,.each  eight  feet  in  diameter.     As 

of  the  ve  I  The"  h^  I  "  "  f- ""*  ''^"  «'^'^''''  -«^  «-  «tem 
two  long  e/ers  Ld  two  lo  ""  "'''^'':'  "'*''  '""^  ^'''^-'  ^-""ked  bT 

the  cable  ^J  s"!!!?'"^"'  ''^°'  ""  '"'''"^'^'  *"  ''^^^«"* 
'  vent  it  from  runZ  off  hv  f  ""\^  ^''^  ^^««^'  »«  ^«"  -  to  pre- 

of  the  machinerT  '  '^"^  ""*    "     '''''"  "^""^^^^^^  '^'^  ^  V 

..  -'V=-f  - -^--^  - --  L.  ;^nt  was  towea 

^t-;j"g  place,  being  neare^byfiver^IoCaprir^^^^^^^^  ""  f* 

nuother  groat  advantage  it  posseted  over  PnT     T  ""^  *''*' 

saudy  beach  which  ^rL  ■    '^^.      ^  *'^«'^  ^Of*  »«  Basque :  it  had  a  fine 

Place^orthel        hr;:k?7""'^"^*'^^^^^ 

than  rocks.     Once  it  becomes  imbedded  in  sand,  U 


V) 


THE   NKWroXraDLANl)   CABi;,E. 


63 


may  lie  there  for  a  century,  but  if  exposed  to  friction  on  rocks,  it  woul|| 
be  worn  away  or  cut  through  in  loss  than  a  year. 

It  was  found  necessary  to  remove  the  telegraph  instruments  from 
Port  au  Basque  co  the  point  selected  on  the  beach  of  Cape  Ray  Cove, 
which  in  itself  waa  a  most  tedious  and  laborious  work.     As  a  number  of 


■i 


i 


n 


m 


'  ill 

■ }'  ^ 

'i  ■•  f 'I 

i''  ii 

I," 

'i 


64 


THB  ■jDCBAN  TBXBQBAPH. 


4& 


^e  pMsengera  vo  unteered  their  assistance,  however,  it  wa.  expedited, 
TJJ^  *J^'-«  o'clock  every  thing  was  transported  to  the  place  desig- 
nated.  Here  ft  was  decided  to  erect  a  frame  house,  which  was  an  un- 
dertaking of  no  small  magnitude  when  the  limited  means  and  facilities 
If  P''^''^^'-^  °«°«J^^'«d.  The  Victoria  was  employed  in  carrying 
the  frame  and  timber  for  the  purpose  from  Port  au  Basque,  but  when 
she  arrived  with  them  at  the  Cove  it  was  found  that  she  could  not  ap- 
proach within  several  hundred- feet  of  the  shore  on  account  of  the  shal^ 

tCT  1  T  ""''""-  '^^'^  '"'  '^^'^'^  ""•^^  *^«««  circumstanoos 
therefore  to  form  a  raft,  and  on  it  to  land  all  the  timber  required  for 
the  building  of  the  house.  The  largest  planks  were  accordingly  thrown 
over  the  propeller's  side,  kshed 'together  with  ropes  in  the  form  of  a 
square,  and  on  this  was  placed  the  frame  work,  the  shingles  and  the 
other  parts  of  the  structure.  e  u  me 


After  HI  houx.'s  hard  work,  in  th«  Mone  of  whielr  tte  «fl  gtre  way 
Wfo  or  three  timeB,  they  suoceedcd  i^  getting  aU  the  timber  upon  it  and 
»•  attaching  it  to  a  boat  prepared  to  tow  it  tUioie.     The  prograpg  made  in 

rowing  wu  rather  slow,  but  titey  at  last  succeeded  by  hard  tagging  and 
.'  pulling  to  get  it  within  fifty  or  sixty  yards  of  the  beach.  Here  how- 
ever, the  vaves  were  so  high,  that  it  wa^  eonatdered  by  some  exceed- 
ingly  perilous  to  land  in  the  midat  of  them ;  but  as  the  whole  shore  was 
Imed  with  breakers,  and  it  became  evident  that  thero  w»i  no  other  re- 
source, they  went  to  i^k  in  atter  deflanoe  of  the  danger. 

"  Row  ahead,"  said  Oajlain  Sluyter,  who  WM  on  the  raft  with  one 
of  his  crew,  "  row  ahead."    The  fiahermen  pulled  with  might  and  main 
and  m  a  few  minute*  after  the  order  WM  given,  they  were  in  the  midel 


!  Tt  -  ■sin" 


^SSMi 


4 


#■ 


THE   IfKWFOUNDLAND  CABLE.  ^       66 

m 
of  ihe  breakers,  which  threatened  eyery  moment  to  swamp  the  boat. 
They  saw  they  were  in  for  it  now,  and  as  ftiere  was  no  retreating,  they 
rowed  with  redoubled  energy;  but  the  raft,  which  hai  held  together 
better  than  was  expected  after  leaving  the  side  of  the  steamer,  now  ex- 
hibited strong  symptoms  of  going  to  pieces,  and  it  had  hardl^  got  b 
among  the  breaker  before  it  parted  in  the  centre,  leaving  Captain 
Sluyter  on  one  portion  and  his  assistant  on  the  other.  Their  position  ^ 
beoMue  every  moment  more  danger0M,«tk8  the  planks  on  which  they 
stood  were  very  slightly  secured,  but  by  the  most  unremitting  exertions 
they  gncoeeded  in  keeping  them  together,  and  in  getting  safely  ashort. 
A  large  portion  of  the  timbers  would  doul$ll6Bs  have  floated  off  with  the 
receding  tide  had  it  not  been  for  those  on  shon5|rho  rushed  up  to  their 
armpits  in  the  water,  and  not  without  some  risk,  hauled  them  up  on  the 
beaoh.  In  this  they  were  assisted  by  the  dogs,  which  seized  the  planks 
in  dieir  teeth,  and  although  sometimes  over  a  Itnadred  feet  out,  swam 
ashore  with  them. 


iau« 


When  all  the  ttmbei  wh  landed  t^e  finune  of  the  bouse  was  pot  up, 
ud  in  an  iaoredibly  short  cpaoe  of  time  it  was  prepared  for  the  reo6p« 
tion  of  the  batteries  and  other  telegraph  instruments.    A  deep  hole  was 
dug  in  the  oestra  of  the  building,  and  in  thi#  was  sank  a  heavy  piece  of  ^. 
timby  about  Hm  mnkam  of  aa  ordiaaiy  captttp.    A  boghead  was 


♦  '♦* 


■*   • 


'ukt'A\  I 


'  ftpff  y^^t,<. 


f 


m:. 


.-■•-iji 


)  -I 


t'f 


ir 


'    •  '^^-\     ■  j 

pla^  orer  this  again,  and  the  intennediato  qmiU  Mhreen  ip  and  the 
capstan,  as  we  shidl  call  it,  being  filled  up,  it  wala  randi^  a6>fim  that 
it  would  hold  the  largest  vessc^  in  a  gale  of  wind.  Around  this  ibe 
eable  was  to  be  wonnd,  and  although  the  steaining'  produeed  by  it  was 
oomparatively  slight,  it  wa»  oonsidered  necesaary  to  have  it  well  seoond 
in  ease  of  emeigenqr.    "  J         \       .     •     ,._^.  . 

Every  thing  was  now  prepared  and  ip  readiness  tot  the  layii^  of  the 
cable,  whieh  was  oonuneneed  on  Thursday,  the  28d  of  August. 

It  was  a  most  exoiting  feoene,  although  attended  with  little  danger 
to  those  employed  in  Ae  kying  and  p^g  out  of  the  line.    The  Sarah 
L.  Bryant  wu  lying  a  littlriess  thui  a  mile  from  the  ebate,  and  tiie 
steamw  Victoria  about  half  that  distance.    A  sufficient  quantity  of  the 
cable  ^  taken  from  her  hold  and  placed  ini  the  form  of  a  ooil  up<»  twp 
boats  kehed  together.    This  was  performed  with  little  diiSoolty ;  bat 
Oe  toWing  of  it  ashore  was  a  most  critioal  task^  and  Nquired  all  the  at- 
tention and  care  of  Mr.  Canning.    It  was  impossible,  without  imminefit: 
risk,  to  employ  either  the  James  Adger  or  tiie  propeller  in  this  part  of ' 
the^work,  as  neither  could  approach  spffioiently  near  the  shore  to  land 
the  eable.-^t  was  therefore  decided,  as  the  only  safe  and  practicable  plan, 
that  the,  boats  should  ite  towed  ashore  by  two  oihen  manned  by  fisher- 
men, and  some  et  the  hands  from  the  steamers.    As  soon  as  the  eibl« 
was  placed  on  board  the  boats,  they  were  taken  in  tow,  and  then  mi^- 
'  nenoed  the  tedious  process  of  paying  out    Its  whole  weight  was  aboot 
fbtir  tons,  and  as  it  had  to  be  paid  out  with'  more  caution  than  would  be 
required  in  laying  it  fiW  the  ship,  at  least  five  hoora  w(fa.«OBii|n«d  jn 
lax^cliog  and  piMing  it  jQb^nneetion  with  the  b»tta)(kfc  |^-^    •  i;^«%^ 


if"-"- 


c 


*  r 


-<#^ 


J.mr  ,   ^    .^».,««,™    is.     (rffcj     #  ^/ 


THB  inBWVOtmt>I.AND  OABLS. 


©7 


W  len  the  boats  havii^  the  cable  on  board  eommeneed  paying  it  oat,, 
4lk«7  moTod  BO  alowfy  that  th«ir  progress  was  hardly  perceptiWe  from 
<the  d«  sk  of  the  atoamer.     It  was  knonfa  that  the  work  had  begu^,  but, 
snfort  inately,  the  James  Adger  was  too  fikr  ^off  to  allow  the  ooikmaay 
«a  be  urd  to  see  whftt  .was  doing.    A  portion  of  the  most  enthusiastic  ^ 
ired  their  services,  and  baring  procured  one  <rf  the  steamer's  * 
^atfl,  assisted  in  towing.    They  were  d^^ermined  om  sharing  the  glory 
of  th«l  undertaking,  that  they  might  heater  hare,  the  gratifioaticm  of 
that:  tliey  were  among  those  who  flaid  the  ^nat  submarine  cable 
iide  of  the  ^tlaotio.    Thisy  worliied-hard  for  two  or  three  hours,' 
id  not  give  up  till  they  saw  it  Bttficessfullf  landed;  then  giving 
'IhteeleBthnsiastM  cheers,  \diich  were  a^wwed  in  the  same  spirit  by 
those  on  shore,  ibey  started  for  the  stekmer  with  the  gratifying  intelli- 
gene^..-    ■-..  ,    -     j     ' 

'/Now  boys,"  said  one  of  the  party|  "  let  us  be  the  first  to  bring  the 
,  and  we  will  call  ourselves  the  Spibmarine  Telegraph  Express,  for 
o^sbIoik"    a  general  assent  wapl  given  to  this  proposal,  and  away 
f  atact^d  for  the  James  Adger,  malting  their  little  boat  fly  over  the 
vaVeain  timr  impatience  to  reach  th|b' vessel     As  they  passed  the  pro- 
•  <»•  of  the  hancb  hailed  them  ajnd  asked  the  news. 
"  What  is  the  matter  f  "  he  inqqiired.    "  Hve  they  got  through  ? 
Is  aU  right?"  ,      ^ 

"  Yes,"  they  all  replied  in  one  voi^e ;  "  the  cable  ia  Ifuded— all  right. 

IM  \m  have  three  more  clieer»-^hip^,<jgi|;,  hurra."    And  thre^  more 

vheers  were  given  that  ma^e  the  ^Ikiff^%     While  passing  the  Sarah 

.  h.  Bryant  the  same  question  was  as|ced,  and  the  response  greeted  with 

another  bunt  of  ■  enthusiasm.    In  ten  minutes' ihey  were  on  board  the 

Jamas  A^gev^  where,  however,  the^  found  the  g^pfyii^  intelligence 

had  preceded  them.    Little  did  th<ey  imagbe  th^that  their  eff(' 

would  be  rendered  worse  than  uselfss,  and  that  in  the  oourse  of  a  w 

40ne-haU  Uue«Ue  would  be  loB#  ,  4 

.'  ?> '  ^e  end  of  the  cable  having  been  secured  by  sereriil  coils  aroubd 

I  .jj^o^Mtan,  -fe  reniained  at  anchor  that  night,  and  ^kde  ready  to  start 

Mr^y  the  followiii^  mMnini^    That  morning,  however, « we  were  pr^ 

V0t*i.  by  a  d||tB8e  fog,  whidi  i^ndered  it  exceedingly  ^j^rpus  for  us 

to  attempt  suofa  an  undertaking,     In  fact,  if  we  fdlt  ever  so  mueh  in- 

0^««^M  would,  jh»T«  been  alnoft  impo^Ue,  «a  we  oould  not  discern 

o^iisl  itin  distance  of  a  hundred  yards.;    ^W^  were  obliged,  therefore, 

to  r«nain  where  we  were  during  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  anxioudy 

wattling  every  sign  ai.  a  change  in  the  weather.    One  of  our  boats,  oon- 

>     tabing  seven  w  eight  persons,  voilured  out,  and  having  mistaken. the 

dinetion  of  ttte  lan^,  came  rery  near  being  lost     The  error,  however. 


'■•W 


:-f 


i  sJ,d' 


■  ' 


0 

I 

f 


>o.li;i^&'W%«S. 


'<*  \ 


:^ 


jk,>r5*_A. 


>         • 


Kj 


%l ' 


'  ( 


I 


^L^ 


1% 


Li 

THE  OOB^ir  T^IHiUFSj  %. 

the  Bttem^i>%#^iit  of  rigli^  iip^ 

ba^t  oTC^il  no  ohsn^l^ 

Idiw  «U  bope  of  the  fog  ol 

howewjf,  Tue  oan^t*lki»t 

tei^  *nd  in  a  few  mina 

jh»iL    Slowly  the  fog  began  to 

lOlir  w«  disoerned  tiie  ship  and-fi^ 

id  abont  one-foorth  of  the  (iffiAiaMe 

breeze  aprungnp  which  aasisM  in 

,    ,      —    ,,ivx   .  -       - "WM  fi'^erj  indication  ,that  w^illdA 

h*T?  line  ^i^lr  flilBe  mcniiBg  for  the  proaecntion  of  our  worf^^t 
^t.  »%r&oking  a^pnt  hftre  for  four  or  fire  days,  we  had  a  t^ftt^ 
proepeot  l^l^ting  aw^y.vnd  we^congratuJated  each  bther  on  our  g^ 
fortune.     Itf  MO  days  more,  «nd  with  la  continnanoe  of  emch  .w«t1^^ 
i^.wovl4  be||bOape  North  with  Ae  end  of  the  cable,  end  ready,  iko 
^H  for  home.    But  here,  agaiu,  we  were  doomed  to  disappointmeitt 
**^t<{4  longer  stay  off  tljis  blflikand  de«oIat9  coast.    The  breeieM 
js\  we  were  indebted  for  dwufing  away  the  fog,  fresheneds  near  mid. 
'  nlg^,  wld  before  daybreak  blew  »  perfoc*  gal*.    Notwithstanding  th« 
state  of  the  weaker,  it  waf  deeded  ,trf  start  in  the  m<»mJiw,  and  about ' 
six  o'clock  we  accordingly  weighed  iinchor  and  made  read>  to  tow  the 
Bh^  to  sea.    All  this  time  we  wew  under  shelter  of  the  land,  and  ^ 
^ough  it  blew  with  great  riolencA,  the  wares  i»n  l«rw.   .Having  suo^. 
oeeded,  after  ihe  greatest  difficulty,  in  attaching  the  Sarah  L.  Bryant 
iwllb  a  hawser,  we  prepared  to  tow  her,  but  in  this  we  were  prevented 
by  Another  obstacle.     It  was  found,  after  repeated  attempts,  impoetible 
to  raise  hwr  an<*or;  and,  having  no  other  alternative,  her  detain  WM 
^^gbliged  to  slip  it,  having  previously  attached  a  bitoy  to  the  chain  l« 
'^ark  its  location.    All  thu  time  the  submarine  cable  held  on 
to  the  ship,  a|thoudi  subjected  to  a  great  strab.    In  the  midst 
intense  excitement  t  hioh  prevailed  on  board  the  ste^er,  it  watra 
that  it  had  given  why,  Ht^bad  only  duftppeored  f^om  o 
turn  nkmietits,  and  i^en  ^^n|«d  "gaiB,  there  it  WfkS,  ho! 
B  death-like  tenacity.    LyMplBt  of  aUlite  troabte  it  was 
to  see  this ;  we  fill*  grateRT^t  our  labor  had  not 
re-assured  as  to  Qiestrengthi  it  was  said  to  posMH. 

We  IM^  endeavored  to  get  Into  ft  proper  position  to  tow  ™- 
but  after  several  iiwffootual  attempts,  we  w«r«  ^bUged  to  giv«  if 
despair.    Bofli  the  Ateamw  and  tiie  bade  were  ahnost  otmipetdly     ^ 
-mercjr  of  the  elements ;  the  hawser  got  under  our  wheek,  and  aerioai 
ftppreheosions  were  felt  thftUt  wob14  )nterfor»  witili  Uieb.aetioa    1^ 
tifaaMy,  ihey  e«eiq|Md  wHhAi^  damsgfrf^tal  ire  hirf  ka»dly  got«l«tt«f 


■ft**^! 


••#*;, 


t^ti*.-^»X-(]Ky«rJ.V.     \4  ," 


THE  NBWIOimDLAKD  OABLB. 


69 


'* 


it  when  the  ejiip  was  observed  drifting  down  upon  ub  with  suol^  rapidi^ 
as  rendered  a^colliaion  inevitable.  ,  From  the  moment  her  anlohor  waa 
'  dipped  she  beeame  unmanageable,  and  although  every  effort  f&a  made 
to^t  her  bow  i^a  straight  line  with  our  stern,  it  was  found  ibpossible 
to  do  80.  There  seem^  to  be  some  terrible  fatality  hanging  over  her, 
and  as  she  came  down  sftm  foremost  upon  our  bow,  our  worst  fears  wer^ 
excited  for  the  safety  of  both  vessels.  The  propeller  was.lyii^  off  at  a 
diBtanee  of  two  or  three  hundred  yards,  but  she  could  render!  no  assist- 
ance, and  any  attempt  she  might^make  would  only  render  the  'matter 
more  serious.  f 

The  scene  on  board  our  steamer  wa§  |>ainfully  exoi4»ng;|  evenr  one. 
crowded  to  the  larboard  side,  awaiting  the  collision  in  breathlcU  amuety. 
The  captab,  as  soon  as  he  discovered  the  imminence  of  the  dinger,  gave 
orders  to  reverse  the  wheels,  and  we  were  now  mo^g  out  p{  the  way 
of  the  ship,  but  so  slov^ly  that  wo  appeared  to  m^e  no  progreiH.  "Baol^^ 
her  I  back  her  1 "  he  criepl  out  to  the  first  miite,  who  passed  (be  order  to 
the  engineer.  "  Badk  her !  whj  don't  you  back  her  ?  "  roarM  the  cap- 
tain of  the  Sarah  L.  Bryant;  but  the  ships  appeared  to  ba  drawn  to- 
gether by  some  irresistible  attraction,  and  in  a  few  minutes  af^r^  the  order 
was  given  they  atruoL  The  larboard  bow  of  our  steamer  ciime  in  con- 
tact with  the  stem  of  ^^e  l^l.  but  40t  with  such  violence  as  we  an- 
ticipated. None  of  our  timbers  were  stiarted,  the-^j^y  jdamage  we 
received  being  two  slight  .scratches  about  five  feet  aboveftw  water  line, 
while  the, bark  was  uninjured.  Our  escape  appeared  almost  miraculous, 
for  at  on«  time  it  seemed  as  if  nothing  could  save  us,  but  aow  that  the  ' 
fearful  suspense  was  over  the  excitement  died  away.  Thcf  ladies  were 
^dt  on  deek  whe6  the  accident  oecurred|,as.  they  had  in  oomplianoe  with 
the  request  of  the  «(j^|^||jtired^tc!||^^  a  short  time  before.  They 
"^  were  ignor«^.of|^*cBilfei{  thef^fd)^,  tiU^'Jwas  all  over. 

We  escaped;  0ve  have  said,  almitet  b^  iiiraole,  a  serious  catastro- 
phe; but  w%^ere  not  as  y^t  clear  of  the  bark,  andmose  than  once  we 
were  near  ebitaing  ineontaot  %ain.    It  was  found^eoessajry  to,  cut  t||m 
kawser  on  board  our  ship,  an^to  let  her  ti^  oare  of  fajj^lf  unW' 
,l|inoald  get  into  a  better  posffion.    As  sQon  as  we  parted  fiom  her  she 
ii^l^  her  remaining  aaehor,  still  holding  jn  fo  the  suhmttii]^  cable, 
and  we  also  eame  to  anchor  about  the  s«ne  ^e.    '"''-  -^-'—-^  --  ^'-=- 
Btate  for  about  an  hour,  when  we  saw  tw6  or  three 
Op  at  half  maai  on  bdn^sl  the  bark— animal  of  dis 
she  unfkrled 


9U| 

We  r^ained  in  this 
or  streamerA'  run 


anchor,  and  to 
oat  the  Bobokarine 

'  her,  aod^ 


I,  and  stood,  out  to  se^ 
>m  drifting  on  the  rooi 
„,,^d  off  frpm  the  shore.  > 
lur^  of  most  skilful . 


L I  Shortly  ^ftes,, 
(ifi^l&d  iQi^er 

liy^few  minutes 
ivres  yttaobed 


■%A 


.( 


t 


P„ 


lis.'f 


/.• 


70 


THB  6OEAN  TELEOBAPH. 


her  to  our  stern  by  a  hawser.  When  we  finrt  apprraohed,  sereral 
efforta  wer»  made  to  throw  a  rope  over  her  side,  but  without  sncceM, 
when  onr  captain  changed  the  position  of  onr  Teasel  bo  as  to  let  her 
drop  under  onr  stem,  and  allow  a  rope  to  be  flung  to  one  of  the  men 
on  her  bowsprit.  The  rope  was  caught,  the  hawser  hauled  on  boardy 
and  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hoar  we  had  her  safely  in  tow. 


) 


<B>  tuna  AMEI)  JtMB  WlUB  I.  SITAn  UATI>«  CXn  BAT. 


Donng  this  dsifficnlty  the  bark  Jlort  twd  of  her  anefaots,  «nd  th« 
steamer  was  obliged  to  part  with  <  ae  of  faers,  kaTing  only  two  between 
both  yessels.  Both  of  these  belonged  to  onr  steamer,  bat  m'  it  was  im» 
possible  for  her  to  rettim  near  the  land  without  some  seenrity,  oar  cap- 
tain  was  obliged  to  give  her  one  of  his  own. 

The  26th  being  Sunday  ire  did  not  more  from  the  Com,  and  ■ 
part  of  the  day  was  spent  in  repairing  the  cable,  which  broke  agaiii  ab(»i 
after.  It  was  evident  now  tJliat  the  portion  whieh  had  been  laid  most 
be  abandoned,  and  that  it  should  be  relanded  and  seoored  anew  to  the 
&stening8  in  the  telegraph  hoose. 

At  an  early  boor  on  Monday  morning  the  27th,  the  Victoria  took 
the  bark  is  tow,  and  brought  her  within  a  distance  |f  aboat  six  bandied 
yards  from  the  beach.  The  caUe  was  then  placed  apon  the  boats,  as 
described  in  the  piWding  diapter,  saeoessfbUy  landed,  and  placed  in 
oofinectioB  with  the  batteries.  A  stiff  breeie  firom  the  norOt-west  how 
ever  pii«Tented  the  proseeution  of  the  work,  and  it  was  deemed  advia^k 


v\ 


>1**^i    •<1  tL-    ^-'l^MPKlti 


,  il..'     s„ 


T^pt'sraaBEt-iKa 


■■* 


< : 


THB  KBWFOTJUDUlKD  OABIJt. 


71 


lereMl 
looesa, 
et  hear 
le  men 
boftrdy 


i  the 

bweeo     ^. 

utim*      1 

r  cap- 

od  •      , 

^OKm             ^ 

mtut 

o  the 

took 

idrad 

til,  as 

edin 

how* 

sahk 

I  to  defer  it  till  tho  next  morning.     Outside  the  Gove  the  waves  ran  ap 
lugh  that  any  attempt  to  land  the  cal)}e  would   have  endangered  the 
aafetj  of  both  veasela.    That  day  therefore  we  remained  at  anchor,  and 
flattered  onrselres  with  the  hope  that  the  weathor  would  soon  prove" 
more  aoapicioos. 

The  following  morning  was  all  that  could  be  desired ;  the  waves  had 
subsided  to  a  gentle  ripple,  there  was  scariOely  a  cloud  to  dim  the  bright- 
ness of  the  sun,  Oape  Bay  appeared  resplendent  in  his  beams,  and  every 
thing  seemed  to  favor  the  enterpriaa  As  the  first  dawn  of  morning 
tinged  the  eastern  horicon,  the  back  raised  her  anchor  and  was  towed  out 
to  our  steamer,  which'  lay  at  a  distance  of  half  a  mile  from  the  beach. 
In  less  than  an  hour  she  was  attached  to  the  James  Adger  with  a  haw- 
ser, and  the  process  of  laying  th^  cable  was  commenced  in  eamesi  All 
oor  delay  seemed  trifling  in  view  of  our  certainty  of  snooess-^r  no  one 
entertained  liny  donbt&now  of  its  snoooss,  so  long  as  Uie  weather  proved 
fbvorable.  The  first  two  miles  of  the  oableVere  laid  witixont  an  aodT 
dent,  but  just  as  they  were  oommmioing  on  the  third  a  kink  oeourred, 

"and  it  was  found  necessary  to  stop  the  steamer  to  repair  the  damage. 
In  the  oourse  of  an  hoar  all  was  set  right  and  we  were  under  way  again  ;^ 
but  in  a  few  mintltes  ntore  tiie  white  flag  whid  had  be«a  agreed  upou 
as  a  signal  before  ttarting,  was  dii^layed,  uid  we  were  obliged  to  Aop. 
Mr.  Canning  aftervrards  said,  that  the  speed  of  the  steamer,  even  at  its 
lowest  rate,  was  too  fast  for  the  purpose,  and  that  it  was  almost  impos- 
sible  for  his  men  to  pay  oat  the  cable  with  sufficient  rapidity.  Eight 
were  employed  in  the  hold  turning  out  the  coils,  and  eight  more  in  attend- 
ance  on  the  machinery.  The  position  of  those  in  the  hold  was  one  of 
eonsiderable  danger,  and  two  or  three  were  severely  braised  by  the 
eable  as  they  were  in  the  act  of  uncoiling  it.  It  required  their  constant' 
vigilance,  and  greatest  activity  to  keep  dear  of  it  as  it  swept  up  through 
,the  hold,  for  if  onoe  caught  within  its  folds,  the  ooQSiaqaence  would 
have  b^en  serious,  if  not  fatal.  To  avoid  this,  they^stood  on  the  out* 
side  oC'-^e  coil,  raisia^^up  and  passing  it  out  at  the  rate  of  ifwo,  and 
sometimes,  three  milflK||t'hour. 

Several  kinks  d^pno  up  to  twdve  o'clock  on  Tuesday  night,  and 
ijl^ns  j|wjM>rt«d  on  boani  of.  our  steamer  at  one  time  that  the  cable  had 
parted,  i  This  report,  however,  was  found  to  be  incorrect,  and  it  was 
iaetttiikfd  tiiat  it  only  required  splicing,  and  that  it  had  to  be  qat  to 
i^Ikk^^  i(aeeearfi4l|fi|  ^lu*  was  a  tedious  task,  and  took  till  seven 
o'clook|the\f9llQwi^uioming  to  accomplish.  From  thil  till  four  in  ihe 
nftemoto  th|ey  had  fery  few  8topp«^«»grthe  maohigffi:?WoJkel  admix- 
aUy— «nd  slthoagh  imr  steamer  was  still  somewhat  mp*t,  the  Mble 
was  paid  out  with  less  difficulty  than  h&d  been  experien(^bjgfor(^||{Jp 


f 


I  31  • 


-^s}^l&i\MS* 


It 


■■'  \ 


5  : 


1  *■ 


t 


If  ^ 

If  i 


li 


r  •  %  '■■ 


I  V 


»*> 


> 


Xv. 


THE  OOXAif  TBU9G»BAP0^ 


iZlr!^^   ^-  ?^f  J^!"'^'"  "ot  «o  arduoua  when  Ihey  reaohTthe 

four^i"  r  T  ""''  '^♦"'^  "«^*  «^  «*•  P'*"!'".  which 
fourteen  milee  du.tant,  we  felt  eUted  at  the   project  of 

there  m  .few  hoars  more.     We  were,  it  i.  true'ZewUt 
by  a  break  talnng  plabe  in  two  of  tho  three  copper  wires 
that'WU        *^  'e^uned perfect.     Still, strong, hppes  we«,  enterS 
Jhar^hen  once  landed,  all  the  wi«»  would  be  in  good  workinir  c^ 

."rnf«f  fl?T>T  '"^''"'  *»»«^«««»  ^d^ble  to  land  it  at  i,. 
tot^Te  ^\"*^  ''  ^-^^  ^"^  as  was  at  fir.*  propoai  rf 
*h«Jli        ^!f*'"°."***y*"'     Jfot  more  than  thirty-thri  miles  of 

S^w'rT%"'  ^!r  *•"  "*'"«  *^^  •UowaTiorlt^ol 
«u<r%at  Mr.  Cafirung  rdluotantly  concluded  to  irire  nn  ♦!,»  Z.- 
ong^oally  entertained  c#knning  to  Cape  Norl      ^        ^     "  ^'"«" 

„r  .wllT  ?'"l°f  ^  '^'^  '^^'  '^"*'  ^  J^*"  ia^wwing  for  the  last  two 
or  three  hou,«,  blew  with  such  violence  *i^  render  it  LZZZ^ 

tmue  the  work  on  board  the  Wt    *8eT^«>  higXltw«oX 


and  threatening,  ani  th 
vessels.     The  ocean 
the  distance  of  four 
«e  no  loiter  be  seea     To  ,puM 

kiak  clwtrred.  in  the  CabW  -h,^  ^u.  vesseis  wa* , 
Ihey  nulde  sewil  attempts  to  repair  the  dinart. 
tj^^bork  rolled  with  mioh  ^lenoe  thitt  the 


;  F  7  "^^  ■''*''  **»  looeea  wild 
:es  hig^  ,n  spMt  over  the  dboks  of  both 
red  wiA  a  mist  that  rendered  objeot8,.>t-' 
lUes,  invisible,  and  St.  Paul's  Island  could 
■**—  position  stiiynore  •ritictff^othiey 
•th  vessehi  w^loompeUedlc)  lay  tor 

'  #lii««|u,oleir 
iSiA  work,  and  it 


^mih  the  greatest  difficulty  they  codgL  ev^rtand  on  thi  fl^ 
Ereiy^ywM  now  fixed  on  Mr.  Cannatd^^r^!^  tS^ 
feveriA  ««e^  for  bim  to  giye  the  ord<^^t  le^cdble  T^l  b^^ 
form^^hoar  aband^DaU  h^^inTalt la^t  ^^d 

'   <S-^;^r!r  '*^r^«  *"'«^"«  the  word,  Btm  hoping,^ 

J^lt  thi     *    r^'  '"'^-    ^'^'""^^  ^'^  ^^^  wore  hol2  on 

fcur  m  a  gale  of  wind,  bat  it  seemed  hardly  ^ble  that  evfn  a^^;!; 


•4 


/^^ 


a* 


ii^''4|^^ 


:  X*^! 


«*4'  '-.h-$(%.- 


..»: 


p>i'Wi¥3. 


■■■T-"f 


TSS  KSWFOUNDLAJEU)  CABLE. 


73 


% 


iran  wire,  not  mooh  more  than  an  inch  in  diameter,  ooold  hold  two 
vessels  under  suoh  ciroumsCanoeB. 

When  Mr.  Oanning  refused  to  out  the  oable,  and  there  appeared  to 
be  no  prospect  of  the  gale  abating,  the  captain  of  the  bark,  Mr.  Pons- 
bnd,  told  him  he  would  have  t^give  tb^rder,  as  the  safety  of  bi((  diip 
was  now  endangered. 

"  Mr.  Oanning,"  mid  he,  "  I  shall  be  obliged  to  out  the  cable." 
§<'  You  can  do  as  you  please,"  said  Mr.  0.  in  reply,  for  he  would  per- 
sist no  loD^r  in^s  attempts  to  save  it,  as  it  had  now  become'a  matter 
of  life  and  death.     The  next  minute  the  cable  was  out,  the  white  flag 
which  had  beezl  displayed  on  the  bow  for  the  last  two  hours  was'  low; 

^ed,  and  we  were  oncd  more  in  motion  with  the  bark  in  tow. 

j^^  On  boci'd  our  steamer  the  paying -out  of  the  oaMe  was  regarded  with 
Mtgreatest  interest,  from  the  moment  we  started  ^ta  Gape  Ray  C6ve. 
A^ntoh  01  twQ^hours  was  organised  among  the  company,  to  be  kept  up 
till  VBBaohed  the  place  of  destination.     Two  persons  were  appointed 
on  dHnlratoh,  whose  duty  it  was  to  "SCtend  to  tike  signals  on  the  bark, 
and  to  stop  poj^eamer  when  required.    During  the  daytime,  the  chief 
engineer,  Mr.Vpkt,  assisted  in  this  part  of  the  work,  and  the  passengers 
will  never  forg^  ih6  feelings  with  which  they  heard  him  call  out  to  the 
man  at  the  engine  to  "  Stop  her,"  or  the  relief  they  felt  when  he  gave  the 
word  to  "  Hook  her  on,  and  let  her  go  slow."    We  dreaded,  the  appear- 
ance of  the  whlj»  flag,  for  it  was  an  indioatibn  that  something  was  wrong 
on  board  the  bark,  and  when  it  was  lowered  it  seemed  as  if  an  oppres-  M 
sive  weight  had  been  removed  from  our  minds.    But  when  the  gale  ^ 
eame  on,  anfthe  lives 'bf  all  on  board  the  Sarah  L.  Bryant  appeared  t<^..  i, 
be  in  imminent  dangei',  the  interest  became  gainfully  inienae.    Alth<nigb  ^^ 
not  more  than  five  hundred  feet  from  us,  we  could  only  see  those  on  her 
deck  at  brief  intervals.     She  plunged  violently,  and  aslshe  rose  at  times 
on  the  ereat  of  the  w^ve^,  we  oould  see  at  least  one/half  of  her  keel. 
For  two  long  h«H|ni  we  watched  her  tugging  at  the  ibable,  anticipating 
with  impatience  tiie  word  to  cut  it;  but  still  she /held  on,  and  there 
se«ned  to  be  no  intention  on  the  part  of  those  in  o6mmand  to  ^ve  the . 
order.    At  last  the  white  flag  disappeared,  after  aiy  hour  of  painful  sos- 
{tense,  and  we  soon  perceived  that  the  oable  had  hoea  out.    The  order 
was  immediately ^vm  to  oar  engineer  to  go  abead,  but  as  there  was    , 
atone  dABger  of  the  hawser  breaking,  ont  stoamet  was  not  put  under- fiiU  ~ 
beladway.    At  one  time  we  were  ourselves  in  i  most  oritioal  oonditioO| 
and  were  btborfng  heavily  in  the  trough  of  t^e  sea.    It  was  only  for  a 
few  minutes,  however:  oar  steamer  was  plaoied  head  to  the  waves,  and 
we  were  soon  o«t  of  iMger,    We  now  maja  as  direot  as  possible  for 


// 


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I  I 


t'i  ■ 


74 


THK  OCRAM  TELEOBAPH. 


\ 


Sjdney,  going  at  the  rate  of  frpm  two  and  a  Ealf  to  thne  milaa  an  boor 
and  oxpecting  to  reach  that  port  on  Thursday.  ' 

The-  eyening  prerious  to  the  day  on  which  the  eable  was  cut  the ' 
British  war  Bteamer  Argu«,  Captain  Punria,  which  had  been  visible  for 
the  laat  two  houm,  came  alongside  the  propeller,  and  was  apoken  by 
CapUm  Sluyter.  Orders  had  been  received  by  Admiwl  Panshawe  of 
.  the  North  American  station,  from  the  British  Board  of  Admiralty  to  v 
;:■  render  any  aflsistanoe  in  his  power  to  the  vessels  employed  in  laying  the 
cable.  The  order  was  transmitM^d  to  Capt.  Purvis,  who  immedUtely 
Mt  out  from  Ilalifex,  but  unfortunately  arrived  too  Ute  for  the  purpose. 
He  asked  Capt.  Sluyter  if  he  required  any  assistance. 

"  Are  you  in  want  of  assiiAaQoe  ?  "  he  inquired,  when  the  propeller 
came  within  speaking  distance.  > 

"  No,"  wa?  the  reply. 

"  Are  you  short  of  coal  ?  "  < 

"  Yes,  rather."      '     '  ,  /  .  ' 

"  Is  the  other  steamer  short  of  coal  also  P  ", he  again  asked  ' 

"  Yes,  wo  are  both  short." 

"  Then  I  shall  lie  by  you  all  night,  and  if  you  should  need  assistaooe 
you  shall  have  it." 

True  to  his  word,  Captain  Parrls  ranalned  by  us,  and  as  we  saw  the 
green  and  red  lights  of  his  stsuDsr  gleammg  through  the  darkness  of 
that  long  and  weary  irigh>,  ^e  onjoyed  »  feeling  of  aeoi^ty  for  those  on 
board  the  bark  we  had  not  felt  for  hours  before. 

About  seten  o'clock  ob  Thursday  momiBg,  the  Argus  came  along. 
Bide  again,  and  w«  obwrved  one  of  bet  men  holding  a  black  board  on 
her  paddle  box,  hariiig  the  following  insoribed  fc  UrgoJetteni  upon  it: 

CAM  yrm  kemom  to^  4^  ^iijwABigi  ? 
Our.captim  shook  his  head  in  »rty,  fca|  tie  Engjisbnan  was  not 
satisfied  witVthis,  and  taking  a  short  turn,  oame  b«i>)[  and  again  dis- 
played  bu  bla^  board,  with  tlie  following  wofds :     :,  ,  •      ,. 

ANnrpBr-Tni,  oa  m  t  as  1  am  wr  jilr  *ia|iAo* 

This  was  definite  e»o«gh  and  lequired  tt>  citplisii  «i»wer,  which  iras 
giTen  prompUy.  A  pieoe  of  ofaalk  was  prodaoed,  and  the  significant 
monosyUable"  No  "written  in  gigantic  characters  on  the  side  of  our 
Bmoke  stack.  This  was  sufficient,  and  in  a  few  minutes  more  the  Areds 
left  us ;  but  long  after  she  disappeared  beyond  Uie  horison  we  could 
trace  her  course  by  the  black  line  of  smoke  whioh:Bhe  left  along  the  sly. 

On  Thursday  afternoon,  about  four  o'clock,  we  took  a  pUot  on  board, 
and  an  hour  after  we  were  safely  anchored  opposite  the  coal  wharf  of 


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I  -  ft^init^^v^-i<^^^ 


i_k»MMJi£rt4l^-r  ' 


f-   ■ 


Tms    NEWPOtrUDLAWD  OA.BLR. 


76 


North  Sydney.     Our  etay  hero  was  muob  longer  tbi^  we  sfitioipatod, 
but  wo  made  the  best  use  of  our  time,  and  before  ciur  departure  had 
"formed  nuracnniB  aoqnaiutances,  and  were  tolerably  well  posted  up  in 
the  character  of  the  pl^oe  and  its  people 

The  Sarah  L.  Bryant  was  left  at  Sydney,  where  th^remaining  thirty- 
three  miles  of  the  cable  were  taken  ashore,  and  tho  propeller  Victoria 
took  her  departnrelbr  St.  Johns  at  an  early  hour  on  Sunday  mormng, 
September  2d.  A  few  hours  later  wo  startad  for  home,  and  after  a  faror- 
able  passage  of  three  days,  we  arrived  within  sight  of  Long  Island,  about 
fire  o'clock  on  the  jaoming  of  the  5th.  Our  pilot,  Mr.  Thomas  Vail, 
who  came  with  us  from  New  York,  now  took  charge  of  our  steamer, 
which  arrived  eafoly  at  pier  No.  4,  North  River,  on  "Wednesday,  Sep- 
tember 5th.  This  ended  tho  first  attempt  to  lay  the  cable  across  the 
Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  Tho  following  year,  however,  ^  second  attempt 
was  made,  and  with  cdmplete  suooess. 


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THE  FIEST  ATLANTIC  TELEGRAPH  EXPEDITION: 

™Z"  """'l'^'""'  ^'ig"*  Ni.g.n.,  which  h,„l  b«ili  doUUed  for  th» 

h^'^W  .'  -fi-\^t««-  powera  The  impracticabUity  of  h  wo^fe 
nad  been  shown  agam  and  airain  hnt  th^  «,«„  ^      l  j  v*  me  worK 

were  not  to  bo  Sn^aTedTv^e  flTa "^l" 

were  Called  enthnsi^J.  J  Z^^^^.i^U^^Zt^Z.     ''' 

should  have  bee^  «,  far  led  airtz^y  by  a  splendid  ioeaibilityrj^  uH 
cable  abno«t  two  tiaouaand  xoUes  «,r«»  «,«  bedT Z c^  sl^^^to 
them  as  chimerie»1 ,6,  the  idea  of  establishing  oommunioaSe^fth^ 

Besides  the  kne,^' Acuities  wWah  sUkkI  in  the  way  of  ZIIST 
«»mu»  had  worked  wondera.  hn*  it  «^u  „„*  „v.rT^     .™^.  .  ^'*™» 


■■'\ 


.>rl 


genius  had  worked  wondew,  b«*  Uoould  noTaieve in.^^^iJ^tiea'^S    i 
the  idea  of  the  Atlantic  telegraph  never  conid  Wk''^ 


80  they  argued,  that  the 

realiBfld      n«7 1\  V  -~  "■•""""  ««»egrapn  never  couJ( 

>t«lf.     Our^Gotemment.  to/.ts  credit  be  it  said,  had  acted  genero^ 


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^  WA^}«Hn  •♦-'fl^^  N  -iil*ii^-*:.:«^«-,->;»L''  =;->* » -^ 


.  -v^'' 


THE  mter  atlantio  expedition. 


7T 


C. 


in  the  matter  in  selecting  the  largest  and  best  appointed  ship  for  the 
great  experiment,  and  the  English  OoviSrnment  on  its  part  displayed  no 
lesjs  liberality.  And  now  that  the  Niagara  is  fairly  off,  i*'e  will  intro- 
duce the  reader  to  her  commander  and  officers : — ;; 

C!q)tiiin,W.L,  Hudson;  Commander,  A.  M.  Pennock ;  Lieutenants, 
Jal.*H.  North,  J.  D.  Todd,  John  Guest,  Cl^k  H.  WeUs,  W.^D.  Wbit-  ;, 
ing,  E.  Y.  Macaulay,  Beverley  Kennon ;  Surgeon,  J.  C.  Palmer ;  Purser, 
Joseph  C.  Eldredge;  Passed  Assistant  Surgeon,  A.  M.  Lynah;  Ajwist- 
anfSurgeon,  T.  W.  M.  Washington;  Captain  of  Marines,  J.  C.  Rich; 
Lieutenant  of  Marines,  W.  8.  Boyd ;  Chief  Engineer,  W.  E.  Ererett ; 
!6"irst  Asfltfl.,  John  Faron,  T.  A.  Shook ;  Second  do.,  M.  Kellogg,  John 
W.  Moore;  Thi|;d  do.,  Alex.  Grier.  Tbos.  R.  Ely,  J.  McElwell  and  H. 
'Kut« ;■  Boatswain,  Robt.  Dixon ;  Carj^nter,  H.  P.  Leslie ;  Gtmnef, 
John  Webber;  Sailmaker,  Wm.  B.  Fugitt;  Captain's  Clerk,  J.  W. 
f*Jfudsoii ;  Purser's  Clerk,  Edward  Willard. 

^ore  ir«lf  a  few  gentlemen  who  went  out  op  the  expedition  aa  paa-' 

senf^on  t^rdtl^NiagahL     These  were  :  Professor  Morse,  Captain 

«^  Scljwarta,  and.  Lieut.  Kolobnm,  of  t|ie  Russian  Navy,  wid  the  author. 

-  ",*^'']jfteField  subsequently  joined  the  vessel  in  England. 

i    'TSfcttd^now,  as  the  Niagara  is  fairly  entered  upon  the  e^»edition,  and 

id  to  have  an  individuality  of  her  own,  we  will  invite  tLo  u^ 

,  tentionUI^'bur  readers  to  the  character  of  the  vessel  herself  and  Hhe  little 

world  which  moves  within  her.     They  wiU  thus  be  better  enabled  to 

'ntpderattod  more  perffectly  many  of  the  details  which  i^^epresented  in 

the  course  of  this  narrative.    Very  little  in  fact  is  kndPn  about  Jife  on 

board  a  naval  vessel,  except  what  is  obtained  from  novlMs,  and  that  is  so 

interwoven  with  romance,  that  it  is  not  to  be  relied  on*     For  those, 

tiierefore,  •who  have  obtained  their  information  only  firolta  such  souro^ 

or  who  hAve  no  knowledge  whatever  on  the  subject,  there  ifiAy  be  some 

ibter^t  in  ihe  £|Uowifg  sketch  of  the  ship : 

UtE  ON  BOARD  THE  NUOAEA. 

To  hegbi,  then,  at  tbe  beginning,  the  spar  deck  is  ^  firrt  f|it ' 
of  the  ship  that  claims  attention.  It  is  the  principal  deck  on  the  voaiAfy 
and  b  bo  aamed  from  the  iaet  tiiat  aft  the  masts  and  r  ggajg  are  visib^f ; 
from  it  The  spar  deck  of  ihe  Niagara  differs  in  many  padiitiotrtani  tton 
•  that  of  other  vessels  of  war  in  the  Alnericap  navy,  and  presents  perhaps 
a  greater  extent  of  clear  and  imobslarueted  spaee  than  is  t6  be  found  in 
any  othej;  sipp  of  war  in  the  world.  In  iM^Vj^cu  language  it  is  what  iS 
^  ed.  ••»  flash  deck,'"  which,  redncod  to'pliii  EngliA.^means  that  it  is 
MlRrQ*  fr(Nn  all  obBtmotions  as  it  it  po^ble  to  make  tt  on  a  vewl  of 
■oeh  a duuraoter.    Tbia  ia  a  most  esBential"  object  in  the  eaal  of  »  sldp 


<U      :■ 


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4 


■  '  "^■"■'■f  fci^'iSAjJMS(:sSi,iiir '-■ 


78 


THB  ocBuir  nasoMAfa. 


■f.- 


*. 


H,; 


,1  •' 


I 


heavLin  "^J^«**«  '»  *fc«  'Orid.  and,  exceed,  iu  tonnage  ^ 
heaviert  of  the  hne  of  batUe  daps  in,  the  Br^U  nk^y.  WwTho^ 
ever  Hhe  «urp.««eH  them  in  ai,e,  ahe  nun^bers  but  twe  J gn^l^ ^^I' 

rn.trpi.rhi*"t'^"'r  ^"^^  d^-uchSrextr 

tf  L^  K    ,r       '  *  "  '^•^**''  **  "^  P^**"*  e^naUty  with  any  of  them 

Of  0B«  hund^  and  thirty  pounds  .  dietaneo  of  thre^  ^J  j^ 

ernbk  eng„^  of  deetru^tion  can  be  fired  with  a. 3^^2^ 
rifle  and  poaaeas  a  great  adrantage  over  other  Idnda  now  in^  It 

J^ched^eh  a  atate  of  perfectiTn  tJ^Lt  ttetre  f  ^^l^reat: 
tt«  gun  the  time  which  muat  eiaoae  brfor*  it  .t«fcl  *^  f  *^ 

Ji.»i/  •    .    /^     .  /        <>««"♦  a»  seieoted  fer  apeoal  dutv     TIm  «1.«h 

k.Te  been  r,g.«Waa  gigantic  specimen,  if  lieirSd^         ^  '"'^'^ 

!h!k^^  w'd  foreoaatlewere  g«atly  mlueed  in  riae,  Anuoawd  «!' 
mth  v*««elg of. one-third  the  to.n««,  of  the  Nia^-^^rTST^  fT 
there  «  hardly  aufficienfatandi^^SL^^^^^^ 
ever,  of  the  great  «i,e  of  the  toskI  and  the  «lTtK-  ^ 

bo  fornuri  faw^  the  Ikofc  that  fc  «  k^  IlT  "^  "^ 

^dfromt^Jfo^oaJTto^eJ^  - 

4»f  about  a  mile.  Of  a  J«Ii^%^?!lJ'™  "'""  *  '^'^^ 
thoae  »«  h.^.-  k^  •  "™**  «»»?»»g~««oJu eremiiga-aa  aome  ef 
.ttfH*  we  hare  bad  wncelmr  d*partuw  &m  New  Ywd^willt.  II^    ^ 


v.. ,  , 


^.''^4- 


'';T!"^~  "';*l''"'"  ':fA^'f:"' 


TPE  FIJK8T'ATi::.AXrnOO  BXPKDI7I0K. 


79 


/ -■ 


«a!ta  that  there  was  hardly  a  ripple  on  its  sor&oe,  uad  the  long  iwella 
'were  soareelj  felt  on  oar  dbip— a  walk  upon  .the  dedc  ia  a  hmry'wlwd) 
Broadway,  with  all  its  varied  beanties  and  attractions,  could  not  sarpan. 
Abaft  the  bridge  or  gangway,  which  divides  the  deck*  into  two  parts,  is 
the  officers'  {Hromeml^  or  qoarter-deek.  As  the  -eaecntiT^  aqthority 
rg)68es  in  ^e  officer  oi  the  deck  or  the  officer  on  watch,  which  is  the 
aano  thing,  and  as  the  reprcsentative-of  tho  captain;  he '  is  sapreme  in 
Iits  decision  on  all  matters  th4t.do.not  reqtiire  the  arbitration  of  the 
commander  himself';  erery  outward  mark  of  respeet'is  to  be  paid  to  him 
^y  all  who  presnnt  tiiemseires  on  this  .part  of  the  quaiter-deok.  In  com- 
pliance with  .this  ffgolation  every  offioer  or  man  attached  to  the  ship  ' 
raises  his  cap  when  stepping  on  iho  qoartef-deck,  in  deference  not  merely 
to,  Uie  offioer  to  whose  charge  the  vessel  has  been  oonsi^ed  for  the  time 
beiBg,  but  to  the  government  of  die  United  States,  whose  representative 
he  is,  and  to^e  great  people  whoso  iKll  has  called  that  government  into 
existence.  This  officer  may  be  diirtingoished  from  the  re6t  by  his  carry- 
ing in  hk  hand  a  tmmpet,  by  whii^  he  is  enabled  to  ^>|«  Iiij  orders  to 
the. men  in  tiie  most  distant  parts  of  the  ship.  Forward ^j»f  the  |ri%iT.  ,  • 
that  is,  from  t||e  bridge  to  and^^  including  tiwr  forecastle— is  ||Mit  portion 
of  the  ship  assigned  pactiealarly  to  the  men,  althoagfa  of  i^Mnw  thu^ 
are  restricted  to  bo  paitidolar  part  in  the  performance  of  their  dotgr; 
bat  this,  portitni  is  freo  to  those  who  are  not  on  watdi,  and  wiio  ar«-'it 
liberty  to  i^AxAt  time  in  any  way  that  mvjr  not  conflict  i^iM  tiw  roles. 
Uore,  when  the^  weather  permits,  they  ure  to  be  aeen  employed  as  tente 
or  iiiclinatiob  dictates;  some  engaged  in  readinff,^jM>me  in  telling. yanw, 
S0Bi6  in  relating  the  adventures  of  thmr  last  cndlw,  some  in  maMag  6t 
mendftag  thmr  clothes,  and  others  of  a  kss  sociable  or  indaiiirio«  tton 
of  mind  doiing  away  their  leisure  time,  like  many  of  die%aine  dilfKidtioD 
m  slwre,  iriid  are  too  sloggisi'  or  indoleiH  either  to  think  or  work.  It 
must  not  be  supposfd,  however,  that  their  leisare  cannot  bo  broken  in ' 
vfon,  or  {hat  they  are  mtirely  free  from  duty  while  off  watch ;  foi*^  prajp- 
erly  sfbikiQl,  a  sailiHr  is  always  at  the  oommand  of  his  sa^rior,  *i^ 
neceMuily  ao^  as  Us  sMrvioM  may  be  required  at  My  momeiit.  WliiBli 
the  order  is  f^ven  to  hava  "  all  hands  on  deck,"  all  who'are  on  aAd4>ff 
watch  mnfe  be  prepared  t^  take  in  sail  or  perifbrm  anj  other  dMy  that 
is  reqmred  of  theu.  Tlsif  d(4e,  they  wire  at  liberty  to  ienjoy  the  ivst 
of  th«ir  klmre  time,  sulijeot,  however,  tobe  ca^  upon  again  whenever 
tbflr  wrviees  may  b«  required. 

>  From  the  wpiat  daek  a  part^f  th*«Bgbo  hrvirible,  |uid  looking  dowte 
thifoitgh  the  hateh  ymm^ikh  machinery  by  wit^icAl  ^is  immenie  mais 
is  propelled  ^tfu^u^  ^  waler  at  a  Bpe«d  of  froin  tent<»  tweho  mike 
.  ao  kMi^.  .  TUs  hateh. »  situated  abtmt'midriiiiiB,  Jbut  on  wvftiiig  fonnrd 


-  mi 


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O 


THE  OCEAir  TELEOBAPH. 


**L^r  %'*  T-'X  *"  ''^'  ^'"*^*  y°"  ^^«>^«'  *»•  other  hatches  by 
means  of  whch  ihe  fire  room  is  supplied  with  pure  air  and  Ugki^H 

Sf two  rv"  "J^  f  *^' '^^  RiBing  above  these  hat^es  are 
^e  two  smoke-pipes  botl^,of  which  are  capable  of  being  lo,^,  by 
Bome  telescopic  eontrivance,  so  as  not  to  be  higher  than  tenTlwely^ 
feet  a^ve  the  level  of  the  dect  This  a^geLt  i,  absd^;  ^e^' 
sary,  at^they  would  otherwise  be  in  the  Iray  of  the  mains^l  •  b!t^ 

-  nXauTth ™  1""'^  ''  ^'^  '""^P*^?"'  ^'  the  caloric'whS.^ 
nearly  all-other  steamers  passes  through  Ihi  smoke-pipes.     In  fact,  bo 

^r  at  the  top  of  tbes^  pipes  never  exceeds  180  degrees,  aTd  is  generally 
much  lower  Forward  of  tie  fire  room  hatches  iHhe  hunch  a  We 
open  boat,  about  thirty  feet  long,  and  capable  of  holding  Zb^S 
and  twenty  m«i  m  case  of  BhipwrecL  Inside  of  this  is  another  lZ!h 
^m^hat«pUer,^din«deofthis^ 

,  are  all  weU  secured  to  the  dcck^y  iron  Aains,  but  are  WKmoored.  J 
to  use  a  less  nautical  term  so  firmlv  ««m-^  Ti  •  «><.moore«l,  or, 

«««  u^  A  ^    I.  ""^  '*™'  80  °ro"y  Becored  that  in  an  emerjKincy  they 

,  oan  be  detached  m  less  thin  five  miuutes,  and  made  ready  k  »  ve^ 
'  J3«"n«tes  more  for  the  Vportant  w<^k  W  which  thTL  ^ 

supply  her  wUh^resh  water,  and  if  necessary  with  proviS^  TW 
pLd"  11'"  f".""*"  -*«.-^thedi4eyrS.is^r 

2dr^'  ir"     ^"*"'  "^^  "^  for  between/our  J^dfiv! 

mel1orT;iJ^T'  '"^'^  "  ^'^"^'^  ''^^'  ««  -*  ^^ 
eSv  use^7  ^''  "  "»  """'y  «««-  ttey  would  of  tbemselves  U 
entirely  useHs  for  the  puijKMe  without  somo  auxiliary.     In  the  event 

T^^flLT  VT^"^-  Tomeet^chinZerge^lh:^ 
^wo  hfe  buoys  attached  to  the  steh,.  and  connected  hy7^S 

^J^.-  JT^'  "^'^  '^''^'^^  ^'  «*«h  of  either  of  STtwo 
men  staUone*^  this  part  of  the.  voM.    By  pulling  this  ^Se  ^ 

orof^tT^^^'-'r^  •"'  ^'*«  ^*«  tCf  ^nlfca^ 
It        ^Lff^.^  "•  "•*  """S  "^  ^«^    Theinstint  U.e  ^  JT^ 

o««.!^„„  I    \^.  *«.?'*'*«»  in  the  descr^oiL    During  thia 
stationed  .t  the  Wj-bort  are  engaged  i4  iiiun<»rin^«^  lauaohiag  ii,  -  " 


& 


-  41 y». 


■«"  ;*»'»\"" 


'i»» 


■■'  V  ''V.'":. 


t  - 


'^  I-  '-*  ■-. 


i".:-. 


■"%" 


K8T  ATLANTIC  EXPEDTtlON. 


81 


/ 


and  in  abqu^  ten  minutes  from  tho  moment  the  man  has  fallen  oVerboard 
he  ig  rescued  and  restored  to  his  shipmates.  As  the  life  buoy  would 
not  be  visiHe  at  night,  it  is  ligl^j^'by  means  of  a  trigger,  which  ignites 
a  sort  of  roman  candle  or  blue  light,  that  continues  burning  ten  or 
fifteen  mintftes.  To  prevent  the  possibility  of  mistake,  the  following 
words  are  inscribed  above  both  handles — "  irts  buoy ^port  fjre." 

At  night,  the  handle  under  the  words  "  port  Are  "  is  the  first  tha^ 
pulled,  and  immediately  after  the  life  buoy  with  the  lighl  thus  pro^aS, 
must  be  set  afloait.  This,  admirable  invention  has  been  tiie  mea'ns  of 
saving  many  lives,  and  all  vessels,  whether  belonging  to  our  commercial 
marine  or  navy,  ought  to  be  provided  with  on*  at  least. . 

•I^eseending  from  the  spar  deck  to  the  depth  of  ten  or  twelve  feet, 
yon-reach  the  main-or  berth  decTt,  which  may  not  iinproperly  b^  termed 
the  domestic  department  of  the^sljip.  The  captain's  cabin,  th^officers'  • 
,  wardroom,  the  petty  officers'  mess,  the-Oook*s  galleys,imd  in  fact-  every 
thing  that  is  required  in  the  housetold  arrangements  of  so  large  a 
number  of  men,  are  ah  on  this  deolt.  Hdre,  too,  they  eat  and  sleep, 
while  neqifly  all  the  vi  jrk  of  the  Vessel  is  don$  on  the  spar  deck.  The 
captain's  cabin  is  situated,  of  course,  nearest  to  the  stern,  and  i«  fitted 
up  and  furnished  with  a  degree  of  neatness  and  tastd  that  you  migib  look 
for  in  vain  in  soine  of  the  best  hotels  in  New  York.  Here  is  the  ship's 
library,  and  here,  too,  afl  the  orders  are  issued  to,  and  reports  received 
from,  the  various  offio^  in  eommand.  Every  day  the  dootg*  sends  in 
his  account  of  the  number  of  si«k  in  the  hospital,  and  every  day  the 
^sailing  master  submits  the  result  of  his  observations  and  calculations  in 
regard  to  the  Sailing  and  position  of  the  ship^  whil^he  first  lieutenant, 
who  is  his  chief  executive  officer,  reports  to  him  erary  t^ng  of  inipof- 
t^nce  thjft  comes  under  his  charge.  Matters  whiqb  a  lanis^an  might 
rfegard  as  laifling  ufe  sometimes  made  the  subject  o|  a  dfeUflled  report, 
a^d.  entiBred  upon  the  ship's  journal  with  the  same  care  that  would  be 
riven  to  the  entry «f  a  deibt  in  a  ledger.  If  a  piece  of  timber  is  observed 
floating  past  the  vessef,  official  information  of  the-  fact  is  (jonveyed  to 
tbe  captain  by  the  Orderly,  who  keeps  guard  near  the  c«Win\  or  one  df 
the  crew  despfttohi!>d  bjr  an  officer  for  that  purpose.  Unimppitant,  hqw- 
evfflC,  as  Bueh  things  may,  appear  /to  those  who  have  but  a  limited  knowl 
^|e  of  K|b  at  sea,  thgr  ate  i*Mnetimes  of  the  utmost  'Qobsequeno* 
Beside  the  soientillc  woi-ks  rijquiwd  for  the  use  of  the  dilp^  tbore  is  a 
Kbraiy  for  the  asilon,  <$oi|taining  princ^ally  books  of  a  moral  and 
J^tigfotta  4en4enijy,  Vidi  wniia  histories,  lir|s  of  celebrated  men,  advw 
tdttw  by  8«i  ftnd  lawd,  and  a  few  works  of  fiction.  Thfeso  nffordWoelient 
and  iflitraotive  reading  t®  sueh  of  the  crew  aff  are  disposl^  to  o/end  their 
iei*iMr<f:^,>  that  way,  aii3"toft6eftai9ly'a  great  li»proipl^%>6n  ' 


L 


,IS 


4 

i-r 


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r 


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f^ 


f 


M 


TH^'OCaSAK  TELEOBAPH. 


the  yellow  cover^  Uterature  and  other  traah  that  too  often  find  their 
*^i7  on  board  both  men  of  war  and  merchant  vessels.     This  library  is 
-^also  m  the  oabin.and  is  fitted  up  with  that  regularity  and  wgard  to 
.    order  Ivhioh  should  oharacteme  all '  the  departments  of  a  ship^f-war. ' 
f  As  a  general  thing,  ^e  opportunity  which  it  affords  to  sailors  for  mental 
r  improvement  is  Tery\8eldom  taken  advantage  of;  while  the  Life  of  Jaok^ 
Sh^ppard,  Pick  Turpin,  ai^d  the  biog;raphie8  6f  celebrated  pirates  »nd' 
buccaneers,  are  read  ^th  lihe  most  intense  interest.     Occasionally,  it  is 
^.«    tme,  there  are  to  .be  found  fin'6,  steHmg,  .good-hearted,  sAnteTe-minded, 
honest  fellows,  whom  all  the  vioious  as^joiations  and  evil  infl«ences  to 
■'    .    which  they  have  been'  exposed  are  Uffable  to  cortnpt  or  deprave,  aiid 
to  such  libraries  x>{  this  kind  are  among  the  fa^?,r;,  that  they  prize  most 
Brery.way  it<HS  regarded,  the  ship's  library  is  an  institution  that  should 
be  mstamed,  as  one  of  the  means  by  which  the  moral  anj  mental 
stapdard  of  our  seamen  is  ta  be  improved  and  elevated. 

'    The  wardroom  of  the  officflts  is  the  most  Bpaoioua  apartment,  not  only 
lU  thq  Niagara,  but  is  said  to  be  the  Lirgest  and  most  commodious  in  the 
•Amenoan  or  any  other  navy.     It  is  about  fifty  feet  by  thirty,  and  be- 
tween  mne  and  ten  feet  from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling.     The  furniture  is 
of  a  simple  and  unpretending  charac^r,  but  there  is  an  appearance  of 
elegatice  about  the  style  of  the  apartment  itself  which  more  than  makes 
up  for  the  absence  of  mahogany,  ormore  costly  rosewood.     An  enirraved 
portrait  of  Washington,  in  a  plain  gilt  frame,  hangs  in  the  most  con- 
spicnous  place  in  the  apartment,  and  this  is  the  only  work  of  art  by 
which  ,t  18  embelUshed.     But  the  risiioT  must  not  take  this  as  an  indi- 
cation  of  a  waa^  of  appreciation  of  the  fi»e  arts  in  the  officers,  for 
nothing  would  be  more  incorrect. o^  more  unjust.     Enter  almost  aiiy  of 
the  fifteen  snug  and  neatly  furnished  little  eight-by-ten  bedrooms?  and 
you  will  see  more  thauojne  paintlh^f,  and  among  these  perhaps  eopies  of 
^    some  gems  of  the  old  Italian  >«teni  and  articles  of  ««r*«  bbtaiied 
during  a  cruise  in  th^  MediterraBe«,.     And  there,  |»i,ed  stiU  more, 
htogmg  beside  thes^,  is  some  present  from  de^r  fnetids  at  home,  whom 
absence  and  distaaee -have  only  served  to  render  dearer  than  ever 
Wherever  you  turn  your  eyes  you  see.  evidences  of  woman's  taste  and 
ingenuity;  ,t  maj  b«  in  1  beautifiiUy  wrought  watch-poeket,  or  pin- 
cushion, or.x.ther  .trifle,  »U,  giving  «,  air  of  taste,  if  not  of  luxury, 
tothebttl^bjlraom^    Thegoverumontin  its  bounty  has  furnished  U 
with  a  toJ^rabV  g«od  bureau   a  >«A8t«nd,  a  chair  and  •  bedstead,  or 
tathersome  eontrivano^tiriiiaoo  abed  on,  but  here  its  liberality  ha, 
stoppedj  «.d  iU,mt,r.  h^w  to  wpply  the  hundred  other  neceiaries 
Jat  make  up  the  .um  total  of*  m^U  ,«gulated,  well  provided  household. 
They  have  to  purchase  bed  olotlOtig,  looking«la«e8,  towels,  pitchers, 


vy 


w 


:^ji'i.- 


;^;,  -.■■■■a:.VC 


-.'-»-■ 
.».«■>■**-, 


}''-.'i>^l'*» '  ■  «•'*  ^"i^' 


^:,:J^. 


THB  FIB8T  ATLANTIO  BXPEDrnON. 


83 


baiins,  soap,  knives  and  forks,  spoons,  cookiii§  utensilg,  plates,  tables, 
table  covers,  cofiFee  and  tea  pots,  plates  and  dishes,  cups  and  saucera, 
bowls  and  all  the  other  articles  which  are  considefed  indispenskbte  in  the 
proper  management  •£  domestic  matters.  iThe  experience  which  they 
obtun  in  this  way  gives  them  a  decided*  advantage  over  landsmen,  and 
makes  them,  as  may  be  supposed,  somewhat  of  a  domestic  turn.  In 
fact,  the  close  and  fntimate  connection  into  which  they  are  broogKjb 
with  each  other  binds  them  together  like  members  gf  one  fami'y,  iuid  the 
•friendship  which  is  formed  in  the  wardroom  and  at  the  mess  ttfble  often 
lasts  throagfa  life,  and  with  a  firntnesa  and  sincerity  sometimes  exceed- 
ing that  which  exists  in  the  family  relations. 

"  The  mess  fund  is  formed  by^  equal  contributions  levied  on  each  mem- 
be*  of  the  wardroom,  and  with  this  is  purchased  the  provision  necesstHry 
for  the  cruise.  The  caterer  of  the  mesa  is  selected  from  among  thi^ 
officers,  and  to  his  charge  is  consigned  the  direction  and  management  of 
all  those  things  which  fall  to  the  care  of  caterers  generally.  This  office  is 
purely  an  honorary  one,  .but,  unlike^-most  offices  of  an  honorary  kind, 
th«e  ia  ooaiderable  responsibilityAttached  to  it.  He  looks  after  all 
the  table  appointments,  and  "requires  of  the  steward  an  account  of  the 
breakages,  takea  notes  of  the  consumption  of  provisions,  and  at 'the  end 
of  the  crvise  renders  an  account  of  his  charge. 

The  wardroom  is  exclusively  the  officers'  apartment^  and  not  even  the 
captain  is  privileged  to  enter  it,  6xcept  for  the  purpose  of  official  inspeo* 
tion,  whea  it  is  of  course  thrown  open  to  him.  ,  While,  however,  it  is 
their  own,  indeed  as  mnoh  as  any  gentleman's  house  is  his,  and  no  one 
can  force  himself  uninvit«d  into  the  mess,  it  would  be  wrong  to  sup- 
pose ihat  there  are,  therefore,  no  interchange  of  courtesies,  ot  that  it 
is  enclosed  by  a  sort  of  Chinese  wajl  for  the  exclusion  of  all  but  thorn 
who  are  members  of  the  ineqs.  So  far  from  this  bebg  the  Cam,  it  is  a 
coiSn^l^ing,  I  ondeiBtand,  in  our  navy,  for  the  officers  to  tovite  the 
captain  to^partake  of  their  hospitality,  and  some  of  the  pleasantest  hours 
wUph  are  spent  on  board  a  man-of^wu-,  are  those  passed  by  the  offioers 
M»d  tiie  captain  in  the  interchange  of  mutual  courtesies  and  friendly  feeling. 
Daring  the  passage  of  the  Niagara  I  had  the  pleasure  of  being  present  at 
one  of  these  .re-unions,  ths  oompany  consisting  of  all  the  wardroom 
officers,  the  ci^tain,  Professor  Morse,  a^d  the  two  Rossiui  offioers.  Cap- 
tain Schwara  and  Lieutenant  Kolobikrai  and  I  had  a  foil  opportunity  of 
realising, jihe  fiaot  that  the  amenities  of  social  life  are  as  well  understood 
aad  aa  lirach  appre<»ated  at  sea  as  on  land. 

According  to  the  rules  of  the  ship  all  the  lights  in  t^e  berth-room 
aiv  exlingoisked  at,^  o'olook,  but  permission  can  be  obtained  from  the 


/ 


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:  i 

if 

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ll'l  t 

>. 

.«>     -V,.- 

J    . 

14^ 

^^^s^mr:^:''' 

'  ill 

ifl 

■    t 


^^ 


84 


THB  OCEAJT  TKLEGHAPH'. 


ake^!'!ffi  °^"'\'^'  •"  ~''^«"»««^  or  noise  that  xoay  disturb  the 

prohibited  and  only  one  light  is  allowed  in  the  wardroom.     Whatevi 
may  be  said  about  Ute  hour,  and -dissipation  ashore,  there  J^TeZ 

Till  "T  '"^^^-«-^  --  -J  be  inolia;!  to  JS^Jhl 
on^land,  they  have  eeriunly  no  opportunity  for  it  on  bo^Tf  Jp  rf 

.u  ,^\^"«f  ^ooms  of  the  warrant  officers  are  not  equal  in  appearance  to   . 
Xrn'r^^'L'^^"'""^'^'  buttheirroo^sarehXSi^ 

Z  offio.rT.'?*'"'.'"?  ^^"""^  *PP*""°«  *«  *bose  of  L  ward, 
room  officers.     In  this  particular  tV  Niigva  differs  from  nearly  every 

^t'offil'  "  ""  r,*^ --->  »d  for  this  pobt  of  difference  thelS 
nmt  officers  are  indebted,  to  a  cbnsiderable  extent,  to  Mr.  George  St^  " 
who  was  determined  that  his  fellow-mechanica  ^ould  hare  no  ^^2 
T«,mplaui  of  limited  or  inferior  accommodatio^     The  warl^Toe« 
are  so  called  oa  account  of  thotr  being  appointed  by  a  walnUil^S^ 

SldT  ?.!'*«'  ^^-^*be;ieutena^s.rtheir  not  £tt^ 
firmed  by  tke  Senate  ^hey  are  ahio  iXior  in  rank,  and  ^V^ 
of  the  line  of  promotion.  Their  mess  consists  of  the  ;irpen"r  Z 
saUmaker  the  boatswain,  the  gunner  and  assistant  enginSrr;iut? 
engineer  being  one  of  the  wardroom  officers 

riJTI^  °^,*'''  "^^  ""^  ''^  "^""  "  *be  part  appropriated  eape^-   ' 
cially  to  the  sailor,  and  marines,  and  it  extends  on  e^r  side  ofX 
m^tsandhatchw^s,  which  occupy  nearly  the  whole  of  th. eeZll^' 

J^  •  Z  !?  "^  ^'^*  "^^  "'^'^  ^y  fr"-  fift««n  to  twenty  in  S 
It  u,  in  this  n^rtion  of  the  berth  deck  that  the  marines  Id  siJlors  deep 
eat  «d  trani^ct  nearly  all  their  little  domestic  affi^iraJAt  tweke 
c^cbck  some  t^o  h^ed  men  here  sit  down  to  dinn<  a^Tdit^rbt: 
2«rate  messes  of  fifteen  men,  each  of  which  h«,  it,  ;wn  cook,  whTb 
^nerally  selected  on  account  of  his  qualifica^ons  in,  the  culim^y  dlpL^ 
ment  I^t  a  man  obtam  a  character  amonjhis  ^.tes  for  suS^ 
attauunent.  in  cooking,  and  he  is  at  once  e^vat^d  to  thetj^n  He 
^n,t  understand  thoroughly  the  making o#  dondarAmk, ^1%^ 
^e  cookmg  of  lobscouse-two  very  favorite  dishes  among  ^ulorSLI 
If  his  abdities  are  of  bo  Ugh  «i  orde*  ««  to  compreheu^e  bakin*  of 
puddings  or  pies,  so  much  the  better  for  his  owl  st^iing  a^^t^ 
P^tes  of  his  me«pnatea     Lobseouse,  wUeh,  «  has  been  Ttated^  is  ^ 

po«rf  of  salt  bee^  potatoes  onioius  a  UberaJ/sprinkling  of  pepp«,  an«r 


t 


^ 


X-. 


">'■  It-, 


V 


THi:  FIBftT  ATLA^NTIO  BXPXDmoir. 


85 


the'dnftftUowanoe  of  water.  It  was  rapposed  by  the  ignorant,  and  thoae 
who  had  an  undue  appreciation  of  Jack's  digestive  powers,  that  its  flavor 
was  strengthened  by  the  addition  of  -pieces  of  sole  leather,  some  old 
buttonA,  and  occasionally  a  piece  of  tarpaulin  or  hemp  cnttfaigs ;  but  it 
is  all  a  mistake,  for  although  Jack,  in  the  vicissitudes  to  which  all  who 
follow  a  seafaring  life  are  subject,  is  sometimes  compelled  to  put  op  with 
the  hardest  fare,  and  sometimes  obliged  to  do  without  any  at  all,  ho  has 
no  particular  relish  for  a  compound  thai  would  try  even  the  stomach  of 
an  ostrioL  Dondbrfunk  is  made  of  hard  bread,  beef,  or  potk  and  beans, 
a  little  molasses  and  a  small  quantity  of  vinegar ;  and,  notwithstanding 
'  its  startling  title,  is,  after  all,  «s  simple  add  as  easily  made  as  fiafa,  o^ 
any  other  kind  of  chowder.  The  fare  which  is  giveq  to  the  seamen  in 
our  naval  service,  although  not  of  the  best  description,  is  far  superior 
to  that  which  the  laborers  in  our  cities  and  on  our  farms  receive. 
Every  iness  has  a  liberal  supply  of  beef,  pork,  potatoes^  oniens,  flour, 
ooff^ie,  enigar,  tea,  and  all  the  little  etceteras  which  are  so  essential  to 

^'^e  complete  success  of  all  cooking  opcr^ons.  Theiae  are  served  ojM; 
every  second  or  third  d4y  by  the  Purser's  steward,  whoJb|i|ps  an  exaet 

,  aeoount  of  the  amount  distributed  among  the  different  m|Sm.  As  our 
Oovemment  is  very  liberal  in  regard  to,  rations,  eaolvQU^i  r^wives  more 
than  he  sail  dispose  of,  ttnless  endowed:  with  unusual  gastronootio 
powers,  and  as  »  general  thing  the  amount  supplied  io  every  twelve  men 

--  is  abundantly  sufficient  for  a  whole  mess  of  fifteen.     On  the  principle,  ■ 
it  is  to  be  supposed,  that  "  enou^  is,  as  good  a?  a  feast,"  they  drsSir 
rations  for  twelve,  and  in  exchange  for  t&e  surplus  reoei^eita  full  value  ) 
ui  money,  with  irhioh  they  are'  enabled  to  <wpply  their  table  with  many 
delioaoies  which  are  not  to  be  found  on  the  provision  Ijisl.     It  is  not 
uncommon,  therefore,  to  &id  a  mess  oooasiocaUy  sitting  down  to  as 
good  a  dinner  as  the  offioen  theuuselves;  and  plain  pji4djui^,appl6 
piea  and  roast  beef,  have  Idog  ceased  lobe  unknown'Jldl^ies  to  the' 
oemiion  sulor.     Their  household  .appointments  afe  ooiot,  it  must  1>e 
acknowledged,  of  ihe  best  descriptpn,  and  in  lieu  of  tables  and  diaiis 

^Jmtij  are  obliged  to  eat  off,  and  sit  down  on,  the  deck.  A  piece  of  tar- 
^aidin  serves  all  the  purposes  of  a  table-cloth,  and  although  some  fksti- 
dioBS  Pastes  mi^t  objeot  to  the  peculiar  odor  jjrhich  it  gives  the 
smoking  viands,  jet  it  is  a  hwilthy  odor,  to  wba( 
^iidc  of  .ol|i6«tiiig.  Upon  this  the  dinner  is 
ingNhjmmlf  frtua  'the  large  dish  p- the  centre,  wl 
beef,  orSobeeooae,  or  dundecfhnk,  Of  Whatever 
have.    At  Mj^t  o'olodk  ia  die  eveBinb\the  banuoiocki^ 

,  Kjeaeh  man  having  a  oertain  apo^  allowed  £iim  to  sli^ 


V 


ndsmen  wo^d 

,oh  man  su{q^y- 

ipi^tuns  pork,  or 

'^l^EAre  they  may 

slang  up, 

ln];1uB 


•tiH 


four  hours  off  watoh ;  but  he  is  liable  at  any  moment  to 


from 


"liNl 


-n.V'  'I 


'■■      v-l 


rf 

•  \  \ 

•  1  -^ 

» 

J, 

. 

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r 


SI" 

Ml' 


""^••i™,.™,,,^ 


86 


TBB  OOEAlr  TKUBORAPH. 


'"■'m 


"i . 


htt  rinmbeni  by  the  cry  of  "  all  hmdg  on  deck,"  ud  is  wftietimes  obliged 
to  postpone  hia  deep  tUl  the  next  night  if  the  weather  should  prove 
atomy.  InwCoh  caaes,  however,  he  generally  manages  to  make  up  for 
loet  tune  bjT  snatching  a  moment  of  rest  on  the  deck,  or  wherever  and 
whenerer  he  can  during  any  intervals  that  he  may  have.  With  all  his 
trouWes  ahd  labors,  Jack  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most  cheerful  of  men, 
and  If  he  is  sometimes  too  ardent  a  votary  of  the  jolly  god,  he  is  not  a 
stranger  to  the  finer  sentiments  and  feelings.  He  has  a  strong  love  for 
music,  and  indulges  it  whenever  be  has  an  opportunity.  There  is  not, 
perhaps,  a  vessel  in  the  American  navy  whose  crew  numbers  over  thirty 
or  forty  men  that  has  not  a  musician  of  some  kind  among  them,  and 
they  1^  generally  held  in  the  highest  estimation. 


As  for  the 
of  the  two  offi 
ment  of  the 
ship's,  list 
regard  fo  their  ^ 
it  may  as  well  be  s 
fifer  and  drummer. 


.she  has  quite  a  large  force  of  them,  independent 
icians,  if  they  may  be  so  called,  that  the  govem- 
Ites  has  provided.     Thes6  are  entered  upon  the 
I,  but  lest  there  should  be  any  misapprehension  in 
Jar  grade,  or  the  instruments  on  which  they  perform, 
led  that  the  musicbns  in  this  instance  are  simply  a 
.^     .        ,    ^        /'  '^'  however,  satisfy  all  true  and  patriotic 
Americans  to  know  that  their  abilities  aro  fUly  equal  to  the  perform 

who  after  that  would  stop  to  inquire  into  their  knowledge  of  the  works 
of  the  great  composers  has  not  a  spark  of  feeling  in  his  whole  composi- 
tion. These  are  the  official  musicians,  but  there  are,  as  I  have  said  a 
number  of  others  on  board,  amateurs,,who  pUy  for  the  love  of  jt,  aid 
without  hope  or  prospect  of  pay.  It  was  my  good  fortune  to  be  awit- 
ness  of  a  concert  which  took  place  here  a  few.evenings  ago,  and  although 
not^one  of  the  assembly  I  had  still  a  fair  chance  of^g  and  hei^* 

a  ftwfeet  of  the  cook's  galley;  the  performers  werti  two  rival" viilinZ 
Who  have  been  contending  for  thb  palm  ever  sbce  they  came  on  board 
and  the  audience  consisted  of  some  throe  or  four  of  tie  cooks,  two  oJ 
ttnw  pow4er  monkeys,  and  some  twenty  or  thirty  sailors.  The  per- 
formers sat  opposite  ea«h  other,  and  suspended  between  them  was  a  W 
ships  lamp^  wbich  threw  a  dim  apd  clouded  light  on  the  admiring  hZ 
around.  One  of  the  fiddlers  entertained  his  audience  witi  the  w^derful 
performances  of  the  «  Bob-tailed  Nag,"  while  the  other  played  "  ViUi- 
kins  and  his  Dinah,"  with  «.  expression  th,t  even  Jem  LL  hiinself 
Zt  °lJ"?r-  The,^°*««tw«  UHMBtained  with  abofitlqual  «a<:. 
to  rs^r/f '  rt  "^  ^'  «h»g«^f  watch^M  the  rivals  awa^ 

which  had  the  advantage.    The  afiair  ftimished  a  toiio  for  conver;ati6n 


f 


■r 


tv. 


''?'*^p 


tnjarf  *»*'*'  v^nutf*»^  t^vm-t**,*  v     ^  vif    ^   f. 


THE  T'BST  Aiquumo  txpjaynm^. 


87 


and 


mtny  days  after,  and  I  believe  the  remembrance  of  it  will  remain  with 
the  hearers  long  aftor  the  cahlc  is  laid.  ^Jtl^ 

This  sketch  of  the  mainsdeek  and  sociallifeimoDg  tflBlora  would 
bfl  incomplete  if  I  failed  to  mention  one  of  the  moat  important  institations 
in  the  vessel — tho  ship's  dispensary.  The  dispensary  is  situated  at  one 
end  of  the  warrant  officers'  meat)  atid  berth  rooius,  On  the  starboard  side, 
and  is  supplied  with  all  the  T^odicines  necessary  for  the  treatment  of  every  • 
disease.  It  is  under  the  <  harge  of  the  surgeon's  steward,  who  ma^es 
up  all  the  prescriptions,  and  who  is  to  all  intents  and  purposes  the  same 
as  an  apothecary.  Thera  have  been  very  few  cases  of  sickness  among 
the  crew  of  any  consequence,  but  wore  it  not  for  the  course  which  has 
been  purauc4hy  the  ship's  physicians  they  would  have  more  patients  on 
the  list  than  they  could  well  attend  to.  On  board  of  almost  every  man- 
of-war  there  are  a  number  of  good-for-nnthing  idle  fellows  who  endeavor 
on  every  occasion  to  shirk  their  work  by  feigning  sickness. '  Sometimes 
they  Buccecd,  but  the  detection  of  one  or  two  generally  leadd  to  the  dis- 
covery of  thoriifet,  when  their  names  are  at  oricB  taken  off  the  sick  list, 
and  they  afe  obliged  to  perform  thwrduty.  •. 

I  TheAilcp  deck  is  almost  exclusively  used  for  the  storage  of  provisions, 
water,  tno  ship's  ammunition,  extra  hawser,  ropes,  sails,  and  all  the  other 
artkoles  that  constitute  a  ship's  stores.  The  part  appropriated  to  the 
(msioBS  is  protected  from  the  invasion  of  rata  or  mice  by  a  casing  of 
tin!  and  the  magazines,  besides  being  carefully  locked  and  sealed^ave 
a  ftmtry  always  on  guard  near  them.  At  the  extreme  forward  end  of 
the  orlop  deck  is  the  hospi^l,  which  has  accommodations  for  fifteen  or 
twenty  patients,  but  fortunately  there  are  not  more  than  two  or  three  in 
it  at  present,  and  those  are  not  seriously  sick.  The  engine  and  fire 
jrooms  are  situated  about  the  centre  of  the  vessel,  and  extend  from  the 
bottom  of  the  ship  to  the  spar  deck.  In  comparison  Vith  her  immense 
sizel'they  take, up  very  little  space.  The  firemen,  whose  watches,  like 
the  Bailors,  are  divided  into  four  hours  each,  aleep  on  the  orlop  deck, 
liav|  separate  messes,  and  are  neverj  pxcept  in  cases  of  emergency,  re- 
quired to  do  any  work  upon  deck. 

According  to  naval  discipline,  every  man  on  board  a  ship  of  war  is 
supposed  to  be  always  ready  for  duty,  unless  prevented  by  sickness ; 
•  but,  as  sailors  require  rest,  as  well  as  other  men,  their  hours  of  labor 
are  so  divided,  that  while  one-half  of  the  crew  are  on  watch  or  duty,  the 
othejr  half  are  at  leisure.  There  are  two  watches,  which  are  known  by 
the  Aam^  of  port  and  starboard,  each  of  which  are  four  hours  long. 
As  this  system,  however,  if  followed  out,  would  only  give  one-half  the 
crew  four  hours'  sleep  every  night,  another  watch,  called  the  dog-watoh, 
whicji  is  intended  to  obviate  this  difficulty,  was  established.     This  is  a 


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88 


THB  OCKAjr  TELEOSAPH. 


bl  «!!  •  ^  «nd  extend,  from  four  to  »i,  ^.d  fe,m  «x  to  e^M 
m  the  evening,  and  by  th«  mean,  ewh  of  the  two  wtt^-TS 
the  ship  are  enabled  every  ««ond  night  to  get  eigrhZ' ril^ 
Thua  the  watch  which  «  «Iieved  from  duty  .1  eight  o'S  i^Z 

Zl^:,^"^,  f  *'*'^"'  "^  being' ftki,"*^:Xt\t 

pa^  of  tf^e  sl^p,  both  day  and  night,  aonie  in  the  foretop,TX 
vated  poerfon  the  forem«t    about  a  hundred  feet  from  ie  d^ 

where  they  are  always  ready  when  their  services  are  required.  One  5 
the  men  on  the  foretop  keeps  a  look.,„t  for  all  vesselTand  on  aZmJ 
of  his  position  IS  able  to  see  them  half  an  hour  or  mor^  beforeM^^ 
r«aJe  from  the  deck.    The  moment  he  descries  a  «ul,  though  Tl<Z 

£^ZT:)T''''-''''T''^  •""'''"^^'  to  the  officer  of^ 
deck.  Sail  ho  I  >'  he  cnes  aloud,  from  his  station,  when  the  offi<ir  tf 
he  desires  to  know  ike  direction  in  which  he  has  «Ln  it  a^s  «  mljf 
aw?'  and  is  told  in  reply  that  it  i.  on  the  wX\:^  ^^ 
bow,  as  the  case  may  be.    But  in  mid-ocean  th.  «mouuZ^t  li  a 

lo^ly  lookmg  out  for  her,  and  aU  the  telescopes  and  operl  glasl^ 
board  are  m  immediate  demand.  »«««•»  «n 

1.«/^\rr.f  *^'"**^  .**  ^^'  ^^  "^  '^°^«^  *o  be  particularly  viirf. 
lant,  so  liat  rf  »  man  should  fall  overboard,  they  may  i^X^?^^ 
mei^swarmng  to  detach  the  life-buoy.    TkareLlTjZrl^ 

the  detafls  of  ^hieh  possess  Httie  interest  for  thogeoerdr^^^ 

The  force  of  marines  on  the  Niagara  do<«iK.texce0d^ym«,  but 
Uiey  are  among  the  most  effecUve>nd  the  best  drillS  neTr;it 

thtL  !^  V*7'-**  «Wp.«id  are  always  pWd  onguaSTi^ 
^e  g«,g,  the  *ip's  rtores,  the  provisions,  and  onT  diff^TdeX 
The  marme,  brides  being  the  sentry  of  the  *ip,  i,  alsoT^^^^Zi 
his  driUing  and  training  differ  in  no  materid^tafem  JbfSJ 
wd  traming  of  the  soldier  m  our  miUt.^  serviT^  ^^ 

.11  St  '^ii'^^  «"  °*'y  »  P'OTided  with  swlors'.  rtothin.  „# 
aU  kinds,  sufficient  to  supply  their  Remands  during  the  «S  aS 

totd  mount  deducted  from  their  wage.    In  this  respXS  Z»tj 

Zll^'r^"^'^  l»«ve  a  great  advantage  pver  thoTwho  sh^TTI 
mere  merchant  veaaAl  iuitl  wkn^^^  ..w    j  >  -—f  f-v  iumjp  ^b  »   , 

v-t- vx  «>*^^ippBWB«pji.    In  addition  to  this  the  oJotli. 


! 


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THE  riBST  ATZJjrno  EXPEDniOir. 


80 


lag  ftmiifhed  by  the  gorenunent  is  of  a  superior  quality,  a&d  Jaok  has 
the  satisftqtioQ  of  jiaowing  that  he  gets  the  full  raluo  of  his  money. 
If  h«  is  of  a  laTing,  eoonomioal  nature,  this  is  a  great  oonsideration  to 
him;  and  as  his  means  are  limited,  and  he  is  not  rery  judieiotia  in  the 
ejqpeoditoreof  them,  it  is  the  best  thing  the  government  can  do,  as  long  as 
it  deahi  only  with  honest  contraotors,  and  not  vith  men  who  never 
semple  to  make  money  even  by  frauds  upon  those  who  labor  hard  for  a 
living. 

The  clothes  are  served  oat  by  the  parser  oa  a  epeoi^d  day,  when 
all  who  have  applied  for  various  articles  of  dress  must  be  m  attendance. 
This  officer  has  their  names  written  on  a  schedule  opposite  the  different 
pieces  of  clothing  of  which  they  are  in  want,  and  as  he  calls  them  oat 
in  their  torn,  they  step  forward  and  receive  them  from  one  of  the  pur- 
ser's iksdatants.    One  pile  of  clothing  consists  entirely  of  pants,  anot&er 
of  drawers,  another  of  caps,  another  of  socks  and  stockings,  anothe/of 
pea-jackets,  another  of  flannel  overshirts,  another  of  boots  and  shoes, 
and  so  on  to.  the  end  of  the  list.     As  they  are  not  very  particular  about 
the  exact  size  of  the  pants  or  pea-jackets,  it  is  easy  to  suit  them,  but 
the  chief  trouble  is  in  the  fitting  on  of  the  shoes.    He  has,  however,  i^ 
inuneme  namber  of  all  sises  to  select  firom,  and  he  generally  finds  his 
meiware  some  time  between  five  minates  and  half  an  hour.    The  flannel    . 
and  cloth  he  converts  into  a  shirt  or  trousers,  as  taste  or  necessity  may    . 
dictate,  and  when  h<B  wants  to  lay  in  a  good  supply  he  obtains  from  ten 
to'  t|r«nty  yards  of  it  for  the  pnrpose.    Some  are  not  so  expert  at,  the 
needle  as  others,  aid  those  will  pay  three  or  four  yards  of  their  flannel, 
for  the  malting  of  a  pair  of  pants  or  a  shirt,  and  more  in  proporgon  f^^^ 
a  pearjaoket  pr  other  article  of  dress  that  requires  a  larger  ejcpenditvfire- 
of  time  and  labor  in  its  mana&oture.    The  tailoring  is  carried  <>n  p^- 
oipally  on  the  forward  parts  of  the  spar  deck,  in  favorable  weatiher, 
wheD  as  many  as  twwity  or  thirty  may  be  seen  sitting  under  the  bul- 
warks and  working  away  ^B  if  they  had  served  a  regular  appreuticeship 
to  the  trade.    There,  io  the  midst  of  that  group  of  lookenH)n,  is  an 
experienced  hand  at  the  work,  chalking  put  the  various  parts  for  the 
wlfl^ves,  the  ecdlars  and  (he  body,  before  catting  U  out ;  while  here,  in 
ill*  centre  of  wao^r  ii^Ue  knot  of  Bpectators,  is  an  amateur  in  the  same 
haifm*,  emjdoyed  in  embroidering  a  star  of  tariou^  colors,  for  the  top 
of  •  OBp,  or  the  eoUtf  9f  'flannel  diiri,    They  are  not  only  stippUed 
Hitil  eloth  uA  dodiii^,  bat  with  threi^  idaedles,  thimbles,  bod^jdns 
and  every  tJiing  necessary  to  carry  on  the  tuloring  saccessfully.    And 
this  is  not  alL     The  iiogenioos  sailor  is  not  only  able  to  make  his  own 
olodies,  but  he  can  tarn  oat  of  his  hands  as  good  hats  as  he  ofm 
pondiase  in  the  store.    They  ard  made  of  straw,  or  some  similar  mate- 


^^i 


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m--^'.- 


■'■ 


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I 

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00 


THE  OCEAN  TELBOKAPH. 


-■Sfii.       . 


U 


rial,  which  he' first  plaits  and  aftenrards  stitches  together  without  eren 
*  fitting  block,  and  yet  with  as  much  neatness  and  success  as  if  he  had  all 
the  appliances  of  a  manufactory  at  his  control  From  all  this  it  will  be ' 
seen  that  however  different  they  may  appear,  it  is  not  impossible  to 
combine  the  two  occupations  of  sailor  and  tailor  in  the  one  person,  and 
that  the  same  man  who  is  accustomed  to  handle  a  marliflspike  can  use 
a  needle  with  as  much  skill  and  dexterity.  • 

That  particular  hour  of  the  whole  twenty-four  which'  possesses  the 
most  interest  for  sailors,  and  which  is  always  looked  forward  to  with 
pleasure,  is  that  appointed  for  serving  out  the  grog.     No  matter  how 
dilatory  thty  may  bo  on  all  other  occasions,  they  are  always  on  the 
ftlert  wheu  Uncle  Pnm,  as-  they  say,  is  going  to  "  stand  treat."    All 
hands  are  on  deck  then,  and  collected  in  an  eager,  expectant  throng 
before  the  grog  tub,  ready  to  "  sUnd  by"  when  their  names  are  called- 
The  vesscV  used  for  serving  out  the  liquor  is  a  small  tm  cup  called  a 
'•  tot,"  which  contains  somewhat  more  than  a  glass  full,  which  is  emptied 
by  each  man  with  a  rapidity  that  would  astonish  any  one  ignorant  of 
the  ease  with  which  Jack  disposes  of  such  welcome  favors.     Occasion- 
ally some  men  are  to  bo  found  among  a  ship's  crew  who  are  strictly 
temperate,  and  to  ihese  the  government  always  makes  an  alhj^ge  in 
money  when   paying  their  bills,  equal  to  the  value  of  their  eJ^Kna 
Tn  the  course  of  a  year  this  amounts  to  nine  or  ten  doUars  T;dlH[K«jQ, 
sufficient  to  keep  him  in  shoes  for  nearly  the  whole  of  th^t  time.    By 
saving  in  ^this  and  other  rations  he  is  enabled  to  add,  jf  he  ia  so  dis- 
posed, at  least  twenty  dollars  to  his  twelve  months'  pay,  which  at  the 
rate  of  eighteen  doUars  a  mc^nth  for  a  good  scaniwi,  is  over  two  hundred 
dollars.     The  green  hands,  who  come  under  th6  title  of  landsmen,  and  • 
of  whom  there  are  a  large  number  on  board  the  Niagara,  are  not  so  well 
paid.    Whatever  saving  or  economy  they  may  exhibit  in  the  consump- 
tion of  their  mess  rations  is  very  rarely  extended  to  their  grog,  and  one 
of  the  severest  penalties  you  can  inflict  upon  them  is  to  deprive  them  6f 
their  daily  allowance.    When  other  punishments  for  minor  ofFenoes 
have  faUed,  "  cutting  off  the  grogj^tas  aljnost  invariably  succeeded  iq 
bringbg  the  culprit  to  hia  senses'    Notwithstanding,  all  the  efforts  of 
the  .temperance  advocates  for  the  abolition  of  this  particular  institution 
on  shipboard,  it  seefiis  destined*  to  a  Jong  life ;   and  it  is  much  to  be 
feared  that  although  Jack  is  the  party  whom  their  efforts  are  intended 
to  benefit,  he.is  so  far  unable  to  appreciate  their  kindness  that  he  would 
prove  one  of  their  most  strenuous  opponents.  t 


~/i«}i»$ 


m 


THE  FIBST  ATtAKTIO  EXFEDTTION. 


91 


ABRITAL  OF  TH^  NIAOlBA  IS  ENGLAND. 

Tlfe  Niaguft  arriTed  in  the  Thames  on  the  14tli  of  May,  and  came 
to  anchor  off  Graresend,  a  small  port  about  twenty-fire  miles  from 
London.  She  remained  here  till  the  5th  of  Jane,  when  she  left  for 
Portamouth,  to  ondergo  the  alterations  necessary  to  fit  her  for  the  re- 
oeption  and  laying  of  the  cable.  While  lying  in  the  Thames  she  was  an  ob- 
ject of  much  interest,  and  was  risited  daily  by  a  large  conoonrse  of  people. 

The  inhabitants  of  Oravcsend  fiookod  in  crowds  to  see  the  ship,  and 
when  it  was  reported  that  we  woold  not  remain  more  than  a  week,  re- 
oeired  the  annonnoement  as  they  would  the  departure  of  old  and  oher- 
iahed  fiiends.  The  first  and  second  day  after  we  had  anchored  opponte 
their  piotaresque  little  city,  only  a  few  of  them  came  to  see  us.  There 
would,  howerer,  have  been  a  large  number,  had  it  not  been  generally 
beliered  that  they  would  not  be  allowed  on  board ;  }yi.t  as  soon  as  th^p 
learned  that  they  were  not  only  allowed  on  board  but  that  theywere 
not  re8triot<>d  to  any  part  of  t^  ship,  we  we^  almost  overwhelmed  ^th 
Tisltors.  The  weather  was  favorable,  and  Jney  took  advantage  of  it,  de- 
termined that  it  should  not  b^  their  fault  if  they  did  not  see  us  and  ascer- 
tain for  themselves  what  kind  bf  people  the  Yankees  are.  The  river  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  of  our  ship  swarmed  with  small  waft  of  every 
description,  and  from  «a;clY  morning  t^l  eight  in  the  evening  a  steady, 
constant  stream  of  inen,  women,  and  children  poured  in  and  out  over 
%et  sides.  They  flocked  in  throngs  into  the  officers'  wardroom,  the 
o^tain's  cabin,  the  en^ne-room,  ahd  all  parts  of  the  vessel,  and  ap- 
peared as  if  thley  would  never  weary  in  looking  at  every  thing  they 
akir.  It  was  the  first  American  man-of-war,  they  said,  that'  had  ever 
anchored  in  the  Thames,  and  as  they  had  never  seen  one  before,  iheir 
eibiosity  was  excited  to  the  highest  pitch.  They  wanted  to  know  if  all 
0^  vessels  were  of  the  9une  size,  and  were  astoniAed  that  we  should 
,4now  persons  to  visit  every  part  of  her.  The  boatmen,  who  hailed  her 
iippearanoe  with  general  joy  on  account  of  the  impulse  .she  gave  to  their 
boainesSi  were  unbounded  in  their  praises  of  her  immense  size,  and  the 
symmetry  of  her  model.  One  of  those,^  a  tough,  weather-beaten  old 
fellow  who  had,  he  told  us,  been  in  many  a  hard  blow  off  the  English 
ooast,  had  quite  an  interesting  oonversatioji  with  one  of  a  party  belong- 
/lug  to  the  Niagara,  whom  he  was  taking  out  to  the  vessel.      ,    :/ 

«  What  kind  of  a  ship  is  that  ?  "  said  the  gentleman,  professing  to  be 
ignorant  of  her  character. 

"  That?    Yy  that's  a  Hameriean  ship,"  he  replied. 

"  Well,"  said  his  questioner,  "  are  the  people  civil  aboard  of  her  ? 
WVl  they  let  you  see  her  ?  " 


v    ■' 


liii 


Mi 
I 


'■% 


I  ' 


i'iii 


'»: 


^ 


«??,*,»„ 


i! 


.'^^%,n/ 


v.?-.-: '  " 


na  ooBAjr  rawnuxn. 


■%■ 


.  1 1-* 


I  ti 


■nil*  1 


]  > 


V 


"  ^<'  ''^  ■^'J.  "they're  weiy  good-ifwiy  oiTU;  their  ciTiKty  it ' 

•  fri  ^*^  ^  '**'"  ***  ***''"  "***"^  "  I  •«»  ihe^  .  T«qr  l«r  "Wp  ft» 

«  Aye,  you  itoy  My  tluk     Eood,  I  beUere  you  nr.    If  they  o»Ui 
■uoh  .  ihip  u  that  »  frigate,  I  doniui  what  their  liners  be.    Hal  lp.|» 

"he  woxn«j»  are  in  raptorea  with  both  officers  and  men,  (MMlio»wti»«i 
give  pretty  firee  expreaaion  to  their  fedinga. 

"  I  really  thonght,"  one  of  them  said  the  other  day  to  ao  offieer  who 

waa showing  her  the  reeael  and  ejcphOnipg  all  the  parte  of  it  to  her  "I 
really  thought  tha*  they  didn't  aUow  people  to  look,  about  the  i^ 
Uut  we  find  the  offioen  and  the  men  ao  rery  oivU  and  so  willing  to  obli« 
ua  that  we  were  quite  taken  by  surpriaa  Indeed,"  ahe  oontinM  "  I 
like  the  officers  so  much  that  if  I  had  a  chance  I  think  I'd  run  away  with 
one."  Here  was  a  female  kidnapp^  with  a  yeageanoe ;  bat  ahe  djd  not 
tfiow  any  deaire  to  carry  out  her  design  then  and  there.  »  * 

Among  the  celebrities  who  visited  the  ship  was  Lady  Franklin,  who 
was,  of  course,  a  great  objeot  of  interest  on  aocouni  of  the  position  in 
which  her  melaneholy  loss,  her  self-devotion,  enduripg  hope  mi  aoUa 
fortitude  have  plaoed  her  before  every  lover  of  true  womanhood  in  both 
the  Old  World  and  the  New.    She  i.  now  about  ai.ty.fire  yeara  old. 
and  in  stature  is  rather  below  the  medium  height    Her  fiu«  if  peoulia^ 
expressive,  and  every  featore  pf  it  is  indicative  of  that  r^kable 
teMoity  of  purpose  and  undying  hope  which  have  buoyed:  ber  up  in  the 
midat  of  her  affliotien  |nd  whiph  at  this  time  atiU  oharaoteri^  her.    It 
If  said  that  ahe  has  atlaalabandonedaUhppeof  ever  seeing  her  hnabai»d 
aUve,  bi^t  beUeres  that  |iia  body  and  the  records  of  his  cruise  wiU  yejtbe 
.found.    A  proper  teeiij^  of  delio«oy  fqrbade  aU  aUusion  to  tbe  sulnflot 
^ng  the  company ;  but  those  who  were  preset  could  opt  avoid  awing 
the  emotion  whiehabe  endeavored  to  subdue.  Shehadv^tedtheRe^luto 
Whe^  in  toqdow,  and  her  presence  ag^.i^noiMj  Ameri^ 
leotMn«  of  a  pleaaiitg  but  atiU  of  a  painf^  oha^  aeter,  lep^OUog  to  ha 
mod  the  eibrta  whieh  our  OQuntrymea  have  made  for  the  di#covOT  cjt    -- 
the  lost  navigator  fnd  |be  ^ly  d^Mh  of  one  ojf  ^(^iQpe  wbo  w»|  fbremo^ 
mtherankiof^jMtiowplOTOT.  _   ^*^    *?"  f^  WW«fl» 

^oie  hwviiig  for  Fortsmonth  tha  AgamemnoB,  whjoh  ww  wpoiiM 
by  the  British  Government  to  take  one-half  the  9M&  at  Gnlewiidf  a* ' 
nved  in  the  Thames.    A*  Ae  passed  ua  on  her  way  up  th#  xiw,  threiV 
tbnnd«^ng  ebeerr  burst  from  her  decks  and  shrouds,  ^  roqaed  *h«' 
slu^ibering  echoes  on  either  ahore,  and  before  they  died  away  they 
w^  ^wered  by  our  Bien  with  one  long  sustained  hurral|,  tha^  feemed  ^ 
to  fierce  the  very  olouda.  The  three  tiiat  ^eefed  •wiwmiSitff 


f 


A  '  ^ 


'-iS^'t< 


m 


I*  ■ 


TBB  fTBIT  ATUUmo  KZFBDmoS. 


98 


ti^ 


■ 


lag  to  oa  tram  the  British  ship  were  u  diatinot  and  u  niody  gradiuted 
u  if  they  were  timed  and  marked  by  the  roll  of  a  dram ;  fmt  onra  ap- 
peared 'to  be  tmder  niii''re8traint,  nd  blended  and  mingled  in  one  long 
wild  hurra  like  the  soond  of  a  irtiirlwind.  Aft^r  one  more  oheer — a 
parting  one  before  the  Bri^  reasel  jwned  beyond  haiUng  dis^aoe 
—the  riggisga  were  cleared,  and  we  watched  her  aa  ahe  ploughed  her'  -^ 
way  tip  the  Thames,  part  of  her  hull  looming  above  the  Imnka,  even  as 
she  turned  the  bend  in  the  river. 

I^  ifka  sappose^  thit  the  Niagara  would  take  her  half  the  cable  from 
the  lianilllaetory  at  Greenwich,  and  that  the  >  Agamemnon  would  ship 
th*  other  half  from  the.manu&ctory  at  Birkenhead,  opposite  Liverpool,  i 
bttt  this  ofder  was  reversed  on  acoouut  of  the  great  sise  of  our  ship  and 
the  dUBonlty  of  procuring  sufficient  room  for  her  near  the  wharf  in  front 
of  the  oabl«  works. 

The  arrival  of  the  Susquehanna  in  the  Thames  was  dvly  expected, 
as  she  had  some  time  before  received  orders  to  Join  the  Nihgara  and  to 
act  as  her  escort  during  the  expedition.  It  was  known  dirough  private 
letters  that  ahe  had  left  Speuia  on  the  18th  of  May,  and  she  was  there- 
fore looked  for  several  days  previous  to  her  arrivaL  On  her  way* 
however,  she  stopped  five  days  at  Lisbon,  firom  which  she  made  the 
passage  to  Cowes  in  four  more.  While  lying  in  this  part  of  the  British 
Channel  she  was  passed  by  the  Osborne,  the  British  Admiralty  yacht,  ^ 
on  l)oard  of  which  was  the  Grand  Puke  Constantino  of  Russia,  who 
vtits  on  a  brief  private  visit  to  the  Queen,  and  the  details  of  whose 
reception  were  given  at  liength  in  the  English  papers.  There  was  con- 
siderable-ponsnmption  of  gunpowder  on  the  occasion,  but  not  quite  sudi 
an  expenditure  of  the  actiole  as  took  place  ddftng  the  eleven  long  and 
weary  months  that  the  allies  lay  before  SebastopoL  But  a  compara- 
tively brief  period  has  elapsed  since  the  celebrated  siege  of  that  city, 
and  now  we  see  the  two  royal  families  who  at  that  time  were  at  deadly 
feud  with  each  other,  meeting  on  terms  of  apparently  the  most  friendly  '^ ' 
social  intercourse.  It  appears  that  ^e  Grand  Duke  was  somewhat 
jocular  on  the  occasion  of  his  introduction  to  Mr.  Bower,  who  at  the 
time  of  the  siege  was  sailing  master  on  board  the  Agamemnon,  one  of 
the  vessels  of  the  immense  fleet  with  which  the  English  assailed  the 
g|teat  RuBBiah  naval  d^pdt  of  the  Black  Sea.  It  is  said  that  he  asked 
Mr.  Bower  if  he^did  not  find  himself  in  a  "very  hot  berth,"  but  tho 
tSixCn  historun  is  left  in  complete  ignorance  of  Mr.  B.'s  answer,  for  the 
jbi&malist,  while  he  has  recorded  the  pleasantry  of  the  Grand  Duke, 
has  said  nothing  about  the  reply  of  the  sailing  master.  Th6re  was,  av 
hiu^boeB  already  stated,  a  oomdderable  odnsninption  of  gunpowder  at 
the  reoeptSob  of  the  distinguished  visitor,  and  it  may  not  be  uAWortfay* 


J/ 


41 


I  i 


ii'  t 


-« 


fi  ; 


"»^-:3»f  - 


I; 


It 


\ 


A- 


'•♦<, 


i^ 


9i 


TDK  OCXAir  TKUtOBkra. 


of  noMoe  tlut  th.  8a«,uahMn»  wu  the  first  to  tdttte  Urn.  Her  yardi 
were  nunwd^Md  twenty-one  gta,  fired,  m  compliment  wUoh,  it  U  «id. 
the  Orwd  Dnke  expressed  hia  high  .ppreoi»tion  of  fte  tendered  by  • 
nation  with  which  Ru«i»  had  alwty.  been  on  the  mort  frieiidl>  tenni 

The  Suiqneh«ui»  arrived  in  the  Thunea  about  7  o'clock  oft  Sunday 
mommg,  the  81rt  of  May,  and  a  few  hours  after  waf  Men  from  ^r  dee? 
Ab  she  neared  our  ahip  out  ygnaU  were  run  up,  And  after  ahe  had  paawd 
and  anchored  within  a  few  hundred  yard,  of  ub,  one  of  our  oflioers 
WW  jnt  on  board  of  her.     ^i^Uin  Hudson  subeequently  viaited  Cap- 
tain Sandp,  her  commander,  aobprding  to  the  rules  of  our  naval  ^.rrloe^ 
which  rcqujro  the  junior  capUin  to  pay  thU  mark  of  respect  t,  the 
-«uor  on  aU  «,ch  occ^uons.     This  w«.  the  only  demonstration  which 
was  made-4here  was  no  ckeering,  nor  any  of  thoee  manifesUtions  of 
reeling  which  were  dispUyed  on  both  sides  the  Sunday  before,  when  the 
A^emnon  P—mI  us  en  her  way  up  the  river.     It  is  only,  it  appears, 
when  ov  dups  are  partmg  company  that  they  cheer  each  other     But 
If  our  men  wew  not  permitte^d  to  indulge  in  those  friendly  demonstra- 
tions,  the  gritdicaUon  which  they  feltat  seeing  another  of  our  natiomJ 
vessels  m  a  foreign  port,  with  the  flag  of  the  republic  flying  from  her 
peak,  was  none  the  less  sincere  and  heartfelt.     This  was  the  first  time 
that  two  American  war  vcsaels  had  been  seen  in  the  Thames,  and  it  is 
ratifying  to  be  able  to  state  that  they  were  the  largest  vemwls  of  their 
el««  m  the  world,  the  Niagara  being  the  largest  propeller,  and  the  &»- 
quehanna  the  largest  side  wheel  steamer.     The  oflioers  of  both  tJK 
■oon  made  or  renewed   acquaintance  with  each  other,  for  some  were 
formerly  old  companions  in  the  service,  and  their  meeting,  as  may  be 
apposed,  was  of  the  most  pleasant  character..  ' 

'      ■;  ^BBPARATION  OF  THE  NUOARA  AT  PLTXOUTB. 

T1«J  Niagara  left  the  Thames  for   Portsmouth  on  the  5th  of 
Jaw,   where   she  arrived   the  Mlowiilg    day.     She  was  detained 

;  hwB  two  weeks,  while  the  necessary  alterations  were  being  made 
fcr  the  coiUi«  of  the  cable  at  Birkenhead.  Those  who  Were  on  the 
■hip  befi»e  she  left  New  York  the  pr(|vions  April,  would  have  been 
astonished  at  some  of  the  changes  she  onderwent  during  her  stay  at  this  * 
fori  The  oOoers'  wardroom  was  broken  bto,  three  of  their  state-rooms 
ottaachsideflfrf  taken  down,  and  the  petition  which  divided  it  fam, 
the  rest  of  the  main  or  bwrth  deck  completely  njnored.    The  open' 

,W«  trtiich  otended  outside  of  this  apartmentTi^way  beyond  the 
4ff^ge,  IS  caned  "gie  country"  among  the  saUors,  but  the  barrier 

'  ?*  ^^°^^y  %^<#oers'  wardroom  might  now  properly  be  smd  to 
*««  a  part  of  ^^jrural  districts,  and  the  whole  mess  eigoyed  all  the 


\ 


I; 


*i 


t  * 


i/fj^f^^^iiM&hi.    'ifL-'l'ii'AsfSs^f 


\\m 


•  •> 


/ 


'I 


!i' 


.JjjV. 


y^ 


i   'I' 


>{.' 

9 


i: 


^^^^^s^^g^^k;^c-;.-j:v  ^i;;, 


/ 


-•v\ 


THB|nMT  ATLAVTIQ  ■XI'SDmOIft 

\ 


M 


^ 


plMMtfM   of  nutio*tiota  for  Mrenl   rnoolhi.     TImj  MMsri4o«d  wUat- 
erar  oonTenienoes  they  had  to  tko  rooo«M  of  the  mterpriM,  ohe«r- 
ftelly.kbuidoiied  thair  bertha  for  a  hanunoek,  and  tamed  out  of  their 
■Ute-rooma,  that  ^ere  might  be  lufioient  apatie  for  the  coiling  of  the 
oable,'  whidi  was  apread  over  a  large  traot  of  *'  the  ooantrj."    The 
moment  the  carpenters  and  other  workmen  made  thuir  sppearanoo,  there 
waa  a  gei^eral  moring  among  those  whoae  quarters  worn  invadtMl,  which, 
on  a  small  soi4*>  might  not  inaptly  be  compared  to  the  first  of  May  in 
New  York.     Looking-glaaaea  were  intrusted  to  thn  hands  of  careful 
waiter*,  and  stowed  away  in  places  of  iafety;   little  libraries  taken 
down  ftom  their  ahelres  abore  the  bertha,  jutd  paoked  in  trunks  for  the 
time  bwsg ;  then  followed  the  wardrobo  in  all  its  rariety — the  naral 
onifonn  and  the  dross  of  t{|e  oivilian,  the  cooked  hats  of  the  officers  in, 
three-eomered  japanned  bozos,  all  by  thomselres,  and  the  beavcm  of  the 
citiien«>  with  and  without  boxes ;  the  thred  or  four  dosen  shirts  and  the  five 
or  six  doien  collars,  carried  as  earefully  on  the  outstretched  arma^f  the 
waitan  aaif  they  were  so  many  new-bom  babies ;  Indivrubber  overcoats. 
India-rubber  OToralls,  and  India-rub{>er  boots,  forming  an  impervious  ar- 
mor agaui^l  the  rain;  combs,  brushes,  rasora,  bootjaoka, hat  bruahes,  pin 
OBshktaa,  neyjes,  scissors,  and  all  die  othc*-  gteat  ancl  little  things  with- 
out which  n^^tbmestio  establishment  can  be  carried  on  either  on  ship  or 
ashore.     Var^ras  contrivances  were  resorted  to  by  those  who  lost  their 
state-rooms,  and  the  ingenuity  exhibited  under  the  circumstances  would 
have  astonished  a  landsman.     Here  is. a  little  oomer  which  was  set 
^[tart  for  a  water  jar>  but  whiol^iA^  beon  converted  into  a  sort  of 
dressing  chamber.     The  jar  has  Inl^removed,  and  in  its  stead  a  basin 
stand-  is  erected,  while  upon-  a  little  hook  above  it  hangs  a  towel,  and 
the  whole  three-cornered  oonoem  is  enclosed  by  a  curtain  formed  of 
emvaa,  behind  which  the  owner  performa  hia  morning abluUons  and 
arrangea  hi»  toilet.     The  oil  earpet  furnished  by  Unole  Sam's  agents 
(and  it's  a  very  poor  aSair)  w^s  taken  up,,  the  bulkheads  torn  down,  and 
the  rtanehions  aoon  shared  Uie^  same  fate;  but  in  theuc  stead  were 
plaoed  strong  iron  liraoes,  or  arches,  to  support  the  immense  beams 
wfaieh  extended  under  the  mr^deck,  from  i^e  to  side  of  the  veiael. 
In  soma  places,  while  the  stave-rooms  were/tom  down,  just  enough  of 
tha  bertha  ware  left  to  aUow  the  ooonpant  to  lie  upon  one  side,  making 
it  absolutely  necessary  for  him  to  get  up  altogether  before  he  could 
tam  <m  the  other.   Bat  alter  all  the  itacbnvenienoe  and  annoyance  which 
attended  these  alterations,  there  was  a  novelty  in  the  change  which  gftve 
it  a  sort  of  attraction.    The  carpenters  made  a  tremendous  noise  when 
at  work,  and  tha  oonAiaed  soond  of  hammering,  sawing  and  filing,  waa 
aajr  thing  bat  pleaatnt ;  bat  it  wat  notiui^  oompared  to  a  good  atrong 


\ 


\A 


»j 


-isi^>. 


..  f :, 


^'1 

A  ■ 

I: 


h  ■ 


i. 


I- 

I;  ■. 

U   I 


M 


^ 


TBI  ooBAX  nuwiura. 


pfctriotfo  <1«ibo«rkti«  nua  mMtbg  h  tfc«v  PbA,  or  ui  «teiMd,  Ul- 
U(«r«nt  M)4  pagiliatio  crowd  in  Tumuirf  IfdL    ' 

OtlMr  elwBgw  nd  pnparatioiui  were  uuide  on  tlM  Nkfum  *l  Portii^ 
month,  among  whieli  wm  the  attachment  of  a  eabk  gmard  to  h«r  iton, 
and  of  whioh  a  deaeription  will  be  fiiond  in  tbe  moi«  adraooed  BM«a  'of 


THl  irUOAUl  AT  UmtPOOL. 


in  Uie  aMp 


The  neceaaary  alterationf  having  bew  mada  in  the  iMp  during  he/ 
•taj  at  Portmnouth,  ahe  left  that  port  (br  Wrorpool  on  the  20th  of  Jane, 
where  the  cable  waa  to  be  boiled  and  th«  maehiow^  fitted  ,«p  previoai 
to  her  departure  for  Queenatown,  Ireland,  which  had  been  decided  oo 
M  the  place  of  rendearona  ^or  the  Telegraph  Squadroa  The  Niagara 
•rriTed  in  the  Meriey  on  the  22d,  wher4  ahe  attracted,  aTmuoh  attention 
aa  die  reeeiTcd  duriiig  her  detention  In  the  Thamei,  Th*  Oaptaio  a^ 
oBoora  were  orerwhelmed  with  attentiona,  and  ftnmd  i^  impoaibla  to 
twet  all  the  demanda.of  pubUo  and.priTaU  hoapitaUty.  The  Chamber 
of  Oommeroe  gare  them  a  dino^,  the  Major  of  LlTupool  aaotber,  an4 
the  American  reaidenta  a  grand  banquet  on  the  Fourth  of  July. 

It  waa  the  flrat  celebration  of  the  national  amdrefaaiy  whieh  had 
erwr  taken  plaoe  in  that  oHy,  and  from  beginning  to  end  wa«  a  moat  auc 
oeaaftil  ^i&ir.  There  are  m\j  twenty-fire  American  T«aid<mta  in  Lirer. 
pwl-a  small  number,  it  mnat  be  acknowledged,  but  they  w«r<(  not,  w 
they  proved,  too  emaU  niMBerioally  for  what  they  undertook,  and  what 
there  ia  no  doubt  will  Mrrfr  aa'  a  preeodent  for  Axtnre  imitation. 

The  pftoers  of  the  Niagm«  were  aU  dreaawl  in  uniform,  and  aa  the 
rteamboat  wWA  conveyed  them  froi9,ihe  ahip  landed  at  the  pier,  they 
beoame  Uieirti^eot  of  the  moat  tntenae  ouriori^  to  all  wh«  «»w  them. 
Md  wonderid^  eyes  displayed  their  anxiety  to  know  what  ^  whola 
thing  meant  Aa  th^y  paaaed  on  their  way  up  the  pier,  the  fcUowjiiK 
colloquy  took  pbMW  between  two  of  the  moat  ourioua. 

"  What  are  aU  theae  ofioers  doing  here  f-H»ha»  do«  it  aU  meui.  J 
wonder?  "  inquired  one  <rf  theae  of  the  other. 

«  That's  what  I've  been  tiying  to  find  out  myaeff, "  he  replied,  «  ba* 
nobody  iMma  to  know.  I  hdar  that  thefre  the  oftoera  of  the  nest 
Taalfee  manK>f-war  fluk'a  a^'  to  take  that '««  cable,  but  what  thUvt 
•  gofa'ibdol|ontkiiow.'^  « 

«  rn  ten  yo«  what  th^Vo  about "  aaid  ■  tUrd  oUmiqg  in— "Ml 
ten  you  what  they're  about:  thia  is  tfio^  Fourth  of  July,  tod  thaVM  ' 
going  to  a  great  dinner."  -'    •" 

Bit  thu  did  not  enlii^teii  them  any  tin  mdn,  so  the  tUrd  party  Ka^ 
to  give  Aem  some  of  tihe^aftiflulan  regarding  the  day,  and  infbnaad 


W 


h 


./^^.jsartyaMgi MM^jtnw ^caMK-j  loavr      "-f  -  -r-i  vJtMU        .u-  ^  -lA-ii 


V*       'X 


■"'    ''^  'I 


/ 


.( 


KB  wtame  atlahtio  Kxiwnoii. 


8T 


J 


Um  tb*t»ll  t^«  AnMrioMi  flaci  wire  diaplkjtd  ia  honor  of  Um'qot 
OMion. 

'  On  Um  uriral  of  the  offieon  tt  the  hotel,  ihcj  wan  TCodvwl  by  Um 
eoomiiMM,  bywhont  thej  men  introduocd  to  thr  nai  of  th«  -ompany. 
Whan  th«  owemony  of  introdaotioii  wm  over,  Uw  wholo  party  proceed 
to  the  4it|bg  halL  ThU  kpartaWt  wm  handiomaly  ont|un«nt«d  t^t  th« 
flOMtioli.  Ortt  the  cntnnou  tho  Ameiiokn  flag  wm  dup Uyed  :  at  the 
oppocite  end  wae  a  jather  flerctrtboking  ■p^eoimen  of  the  bird  of  Joto, 
wUle  upon  the  walla  aroand  the  apartment  'were  hong  engraringa  of 
^the  telegraph  fl^t,  the  aignera  of  the  Deolaratinn  of^depondenofl,'  a 
potltrait  of  Waakbgton,  Uie  Ab>*'><mu>  Senate  in  aeaaion,  and  a  fae  ainiile 
of  the  Deolaration  itaelf  When  the  dinner  waa  thoroaghly  disouaaed, 
tkti  oraipaay  paand  the  real  0/  the  erening  in  ^peeoh  making  and  the 
jatmnkmtgt  vi  fHoidly  aentimenta. 

ilnoDg  tiioae  who  Tiaited  the  ahip  while  in  Uia  Mersey  Waa  Prinoe 
Dapoleao,  the  aon  of  Jerome,  and  another  of  the  nephewa  of  hia  unole. 
He  waa  attended  by  hia  saittfT'oonRiflting  of  the  followii)ig  jgentlemen : — 
La  Baron  de  la  Ronoiere,  capitaine ;  le  cbof  d'  eaoadWAi  d'  6tat  M^or 
FfRi;  Diaaat,  aide-decamp  dn  Prinee  ehef  t'^eaoadron  da  earalerie'j 
Oi«nr,>eiiyflr  dn  Prinee;  M.  Regnault^  rnenbre  de  I'Twtitot ;  M.  de 
'  Oluraooortaia,  eng^nieor  doa  mines ;  M.  Arag<v  MB  of  tiie  wtronomar ; 
Inapeot^ar  6  Antral  dee  Beaux  Arta;  le  oapitaiBQ  de  Mgate  DilYa ;  oont- 
numdaat  le  yMh|  Reinit  Hortenae;  Hamelin,  lieutenant- de  Taiaseaa, 
and  Miet,  enaeigne^e  rsiaaeaa.  It  waa  understood  that  the  prinee  was 
to  viait  the  riiip  tneojr--->-that  ia,  every  body,  from  the  eaj^a^down  to* 
&e -powder  monksyi,  wore  4o  know  who  he  was — at  leaat'  suoh  is  the 
msaaiog  of  the  word,  aa  estaUiafaed  by  royal-  nsage  and  custom.  The 
youBg^flni^iish  Prinoe  is  to  make  his  tour  of  Europe  in  the  aame  atyle ; 
and  iHien  all  the  other  members  of  the  fot^^  f]|}nily  set  o«t  on  iheir 
tmvals,  U  b  to  be  presumed  they  will  adSpt  a  umllar  course.  " 

TKe  Prinoe  and  his  suite'  canfe  alongside  in  a  steamboat,  and  his 
Imperial  fiighness  was  the  first  to  (»>me  on  board.  Thcroaptain  in- 
Tiied  the  whole  oornmay  into  the  oalnn,  where  he  explained  the  different 
fiMtarerof  ifitereat  in  the  enterprise  to  them.  The  Prinoe  is  said  to  be 
a  rsBMtflsiUe  likeness  of  his  gi^t  unole,  bat  he  is  mnoh  teller,  being 
aboit  flvt  fbetderoL  He  us  certainly  the  Napoleonlo  face,  and 
m^t  eai%,lM  irfekad  ont  ia  %  onmd  asB  membaV'Of  the  family;  bot . 
that  imjMnal  dipreaaion-whioh  is  seen  in  all  the  portraits  of  the  First 
NlfdaOBi  is-waating  fn  tlie  nepbew.  He  is  fj^out  thirty-fire  yean  of 
%ign,  aad  reitaiblea  his  ancle,  not  only  in  the  faoe,  bot  in  tbe  peooHair 
stoop  of  the  shfttnlden  by  which  the  Littlo  Gorpofal  iraa  diatiB0PU8bed. 
IIm  ItbM  i«  ozooodingly  a&ble  h  his  BxamMcs,  and  altlLooj^  his 

..-    ■      '      .  ,    1/  \ 


■i 

I 


.t- 


I 


u 

! '  i 


\      ^-      'r 


I 


1 


a*'*    ' 


'  '<aaptitt>'«w»»- 


%' 


r 


Ik 


i 


V 
*'^ 


■^  t-^  jA     •^-  '     'f  ^5-'''  '  J^<^•w "•"<■)    "''<-^-a  «5"^>-,^'*  •".f','^  '  ^''^^^Jift 


.*. ' 


98 


THK<O0KAN  TELBORAFH. 


knowledge  of  English  appears  to  be  somewhat  limited,  he  manages  to 
cany  on  a  tolerably  animated  •  oonyersation  with  the  partial  aid  of  mx 
interpreter.  Captain  Hudson  posted  him  up  in  aU  the  particulars  abont 
the  cable,  the  way  it  WM  made,  the  way  it  was  to  be  laid,  and,  last 
^  aU,  the  way  the  ships  werb  to  take  when  engaged  in  paying  it  out 
-He  then  took  the  Prince  and  suite  around  the  vessel,  and  Aowed  them 
^1  that  was  worth  seeing,  «iid  when  he  was  taking  his  depajbre  maimed 
the  rigging  and  gave  him  threfe  cheers.  The  Prince  was  yety  jnnoh 
gnitifled  with  his  receptionf  and  ipyited  the  captain  to  dine  with  hiw 
the  same  afternoon.  V 

The  Niagara  was  as  greAt  an  object  of  c^osity  and  wonder  here  as 
Bhe  was  to  the  people  of  Graresend,  when  she  was  lying  in  the  Thames, 
and  her  feme  extended  for  and  wide  throughout  the  country.     Cap- 
tarn- Hudson,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  aU  who  desired  to  see  hir  an 
opportumty  of  doing  so,  permitted  one  of  the  ferry  companies  to  brine 
,   pansengers  alongside,  but  issued  an  order  that  they  should  not  be  al- 
lowed to  go  below  the  spar  deck,  or  in  any  part  of  ^he  ship  where  they 
might  m  any  way  interrupt  or  interfere  with  the  workmen  whUe  em^ 
ployed  in  cofling  the  cable  and  putting  up  the  machinery.     As  a  lar« 
number  of  persons  ayailed  themselves  of  this  privU(ige,  the  ferry  <Jomr 
pany  reaped  quite  a  harvest,  and  of  course  took  eVery  means  to  keep  up 
the  pubhc  interest  in  the  ship.     They  issued  large  posters,  which  st«ed 
at  one  from  the  walls  near  the  wharves,  and  ornamented  the  wheet 
hon««  of  the  steamboats  plying  to  and  from  the  ship.    The  public  were 
notified,  through  the  means  of  these,  that  "the  Leviathan  United  States 
frigate  Niagara  is  to  be  seen  from  nine  o'clock  A.  M.  to  eig^t  P  M  •  » 
anti  further,  knowing  that  no  visitors  were  permitted  to  come  aboard  m   ' 
Swiday  they  endeavored  to  attract  passengers  by  announcing  that  mS 
•nd  such  boats  pass  the  Leviathan  American  Ship  on  their  way  to  molt 
a  plac?,  and  that  they  would  go  round  her  for  the  purpose  oflettinir 
themhave.fbll  viewofthis«monsterof  thedeep."    PortheprivilZ 
of  visiting  the  ship  the  ferry  company  charged  one  shOling  sterling, 
bead-about  tweniy-five  cents  of  our  money-the  price  of  admisrion  ta 
any  of  the  negro  operatic  entertainments  in  New  York.    WiA  some  of 
the  people  a  shilling  is  quite  a  large  amount  of  money,  and  it  is  often  as 
much  as  many  receiVe  for  half  a  day's  labor.    It  is  e«,y  to  imagine  from ' 
ttuswh^  an  event  they  considered  the  appearance  of  a  vessel  of  tliia' 
desor^tion  in  their  lr»t«rs,  and  that  a  visit  to  her  is  something  to  loot' 
»r«fcrd  to  .as  a  treat  which  they  might  enjoy  only  once  in  l»lf  » <w^* 
teiy.^Inthisstslpqf  mind  they  came  on  board,  and  were  astonished' 
that  they  were  jioi  aflowed  to  go  aU  over,  even  into  the  cabin  and  ofioetj* 
wardroom,  both  of  wUoh  are  as  private  as  any  genUemaa's  hoWe  ooold 


m^i^M±^^m-mj& 


THE   FIBST  ATLANTIC   EXPEDITION. 


99 


be,  and  wL.oh  ,t  is  really  a  privilege  to  be  permitted  to  enter.     Some 
Of  them  did  not  understand  tluH,  but,  8uppo8i.,g  that  the  shilling  entitled 
*  them  to  the  right  of  going  wherever   they  pleased,,  were  considerably 

dmppomt^d  when  they  found  that  thoy  were  confined  to  the  spar  deck, 
and  that  the  other  parts  of  the  vessel  wore  shut  against  them.  One  of 
these  went  up  to  the  officer  of  the  deek,  and,  with  a  look  of  extreme 
disgust  and  dissatisfaction,  said  he  desired  to  go  below. 

"  I  should  certainly  allow  you  to  do  so  with  pleasure,"  replied  the 
officer,  "but  there  is  an  order  again.t  pen^jtting  persons  to  go  below 
this  deck,  as  they  might  interfere  with  the^patives." 

"But  I  want  to  see  it,  yoH  know,". said  the  visitor;  "I  paid  ray 
shilliiig  to  look  at  every  part  of  the  ship.  I  was  promised  that  I 
should  see  the  berths  below  and  all  the  ship  underneath,  when  I  gave 
my  mioney." 

3P  This  was  said  with  a  manner  and  in  a  tone  of  voice  which  would 

lead  a  person  to  suppose  that  he  had  been  swindled  out  of  his  shilling, 
and  that  the  officer  himself  was  a  party  to  the  transaction. 

This  ended  the  conversation,  and  the  visitor  left  the  ship  in  high 
dudgeon,  leaving  an  undecided  impression  on  the  mind  of  the  officer 
whether  he  intended  to  su?  him  for  obtaining  money  under  false  pre- 
tences, or  that  his  indignation  had  so  far  got^be  better  of  him  as  to 
deprive  him  utterly  of  the  power  of  replying  in  a  manner  that  would  do 
jostioe  to  bis  feelings. 

THE  COILlJ^a  OP  Tire  CABLE. 
The  coUing  of  the  cable  at  Liverpool  occupied  three  weeks,  and 
although  a  somewhat   tedious  operation,  possessed  many  features  of 
interest. 

The  men  employed  in  the  work  were,  with  the  exception  of  half 
a  dozen  who  were  engaged  by  the  Atlahtic  Telegraph  Company,  sailors 
on  the  Niagara,  who  volunteered  for  the  purpose,  as  none  but  such' 
as  were  willing  to  serve  and  freely  offered  themselves,  were  drafted 
from  the  crew  for  this  service.  They  were  informed  that  none  but  vol- 
unteers  should  be  employed,  and  of  its  nature  and  character;  the  dif- 
ficulties by  which  it  would  be  attended;  the  wear  and  tear  of  clothes, 
and' the  tedious  task  on  which  they  were  about  to  enter-explaining,  in 
fact,  all  its  objectionable  features,  so  that  after  they  should  have  en- 
tered upon  it  they  might  not  be  able  to  say  they  did  so  in  ignorance  of 
what  they  were  required  to  do.  The  objectionable  features,  however, 
did  not  seem  to  deter  them  from  oomipg  forward  in  largo  numbers,  and 
offering  their  names,  from  which  a  strong  force  was  made  out  for  the 
work.    They  were  perfectly  enthusiastic  about  it,  and  it  seemed  to  be  » 


% 


it 

4 


J  !. 

■  i 


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'.X  1-  . 


r^'^>^;fe\»>-!^-fc^i»p4A'-;(V, 


fy    >  ' 


fWfiK;.^ 


1 

t 

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J{ 

t 

\: 

• 

r  .- 

h ; 

1 

13; 

m 

1 

.■■•i  '■<• 


100 


THE  OCEAN  TELEGRAPH. 


i 


matter  of  rivalry  among  them  as  to  who  should  be  accepted.  About  one 
hundred  and  twenty  were  enlisted  for  the  serrioe,  and  these,  with  ten  <rf 
the  operatives  of  the  company,, formed  the  great  corps  of  cable  coilerd 
on  the  Niagara,  Th^^ay  was  divided  into  watches,  and  aa  there  were 
about  thirty  men  ohiftich  watch,  they  were  required  to  work  only  six 
hours  out  of  the  twenty-four.  ' 

A  visit  to  the  ^oil  when  all  hands  are  engaged  in  packing  the  cable, 
and  when  it  is  coming  down  through  the  hatch  into  the  circle  or  circus 
that  is  prepared  for  its  reception,  is  fiill  of  interest.    To  make  your 
way  successfully  into  that  part  of  the  ship  is  no  easy  task,  nnd  if  not 
acquainted  "  with  the  ropes,"  one  must  expect -to  receive  many  a  knock 
in  the  head  or  legs,  by  running  foul  of  planks,  or  chains,  or  ringbolts, 
and  twenty  other  things,  the  names  of  which  are  known  only  to  the 
initiated.     After  a  descent  of  some  twenty  feet  you  find  yourself  in  the 
lower  hold  of  the  vessel,  lo<i^ng  over  the   little  wooden  wall  that 
bounds  the  circus  and  keeps, the  outer  part  of  the  coil  in  its  proper 
place,  on  a  large  mass  of  what  appe^|.Bt  first  sight  to  be  solidified  tar, 
with  a  cone  rising  in  the  centre  Ifte  a  mmiature  representation  of  a 
mountain  peak.     Thirty  men,  wiAJblackenod  hands,  blackened  feet,  and 
clothes  that  are  rapidly  changing  to  a  deep  mourning  color,  are  standiag 
in  a  circle  about  h^jlf  way  between  this  same  cone  and  the  outer  edge  of 
the  coil.     There  is  one  who  is  constaptly  walking  round  this  circle  with 
somewhat  of  the  steady  jog  trot  speed  of  an  old  mill  horse,  and  who,  in 
his  revolutions,  pays  out  the  cable  to  each  man  as  he  passes  him.     He 
just  gives  him  sufScient  for  his  share,  for  if  he  were  to  give  him  a  fbot 
over  the  exact  amount  required,  the  separate  coils  would  be  unetenly 
laid,  and  great  delay  would  be  caused  by  having  to  go  over  the  wwk 
again.     If  he  walks  fast,  therefore,  he  is  obliged  to  pay  out  in  propor- 
tion to  his  rate  of  speed,  but  both  walking  and  paying  out  are  so  nicely 
proportio^d  in  this  respect  diat  he  is  very  seldom  obliged  to  correct 
any  mistakes. 

This  is  the  simple  process  of  coiling  the  cable— the  mere  mechanical 
part  of  the  work,  and  nothing  can  be  more  dull  or  monotonous,  or 
stupidly  uninteresting.  It  has,  however,  a  social  aspeot  which  it  would 
be  unjust  to  overlook.  The  thfrty  operatires  who  jit  around  the  ootte, 
sometimes  a  few  inches,  and  at  other  times!  twelve  o"  thirteen  feet  frttn 
it,  are  not  mere  automata,  but  men,  atut  a  good  jolly  set  of  fblloirs 
they  are,  with  the  ready  joke,  the  quick  repiurtee,  budgets  bursting  witb 
yarns,  and  riddles,  and  conundrums,  and  Joe  Millerisms,  mixed  up  with 
an  abundance  of  mother  wit  that  if  possessed  by  one  iDdividnal  woiild 
immortalise  him  forever  in  the  annals  of  the  oomio  and  hoiadnnu. 
There  is  one  who  stands  high  in  repute  among  the  partieular  iratdh  to 


i^ 


,->... 'J-' 


THE  FIB8T  ATLAMTIO  KXTEDITION. 


101 


wlu  \  he  belongs,  and  whose  fame  has  spread  to  saoh  an  extent  among  the 
the  otusr  watches  that  they  would  raise  a  subscription  to  buy  his  time 
fcr  their  own  especial  amusement.  He  is  a  prince  of  good^fellows — a 
regular  Jack  Tar — well  stocked  with  yarns  that  leave  even  the  inven- 
tire  powers  of  Munchausen  in  the  shade,  and  as  full  of  fun  as  an  egg  is 
full  of  meajt — ^provided  it  be  a  good  one,  which  makes  all  the  diflFerence 
in  the  world,  so  far  as  the  accuracy  of  the  comparison  is  regarded.  But 
with  aU  their  jokes,  and  riddles,  and  yams,  and  conundrums,  they  do 
not  Delect  their  work,  for  while  in  their  merriest  mood,  the'  cable  is 
,.  packed  away  with  as  much  rapidity  as  if  they  bestowed  their  undivided 
attention  on  it,  and  kept  ^  silent  as  a  congregation  at  a  prayer  meeting. 
They  call  themselves  tiie  telegraph  watch,  and  it  is  wi^  no  little  feeling 
of  pride  they  regard  theit  position  as  coilers.  The  superintendent,  who 
is  placed  over  them  to  see  that  they  do  not  neglect  their  work,  and  who 
flits  in  that  little  box  outside  of  the  circle,  has  no  occasion  to  display 
his  authority,  for  they  are  so  willing,  and  so  active,  and  so  quick,  and 
00  earnest,  too,  that  there  is  really  no  necessity  for  his  supervision.  He 
may  now  and  then  throw  in  a  word  by  way  of  showing  that  he  is  in  his 
box ;  but  his  oc<»sional  requests  or  exhortations  to  the  men  to  "  be  live- 
ly now,"  are  entirely  unnecessary ;  they  are  both  active  and  lively,  a&d 
ho  knows  it  as  well  as  a  man  ever  knew  any  thing  with  which  he 
Wfu  thoronghly  aoquainted.  He  has  his  part  to  perform,  however,  and 
when  he  tells  them  about  onoe  every  half  hour  the  same  thing  that  he  has 
been  telling  them  ever  since  the  first  yard  of  the  cable  was  taken  on 
board,  they  know  that  after  all  it  is  only  a  matter  of  form,  and  no  in- 
•inaation  or  hint  that  they  are  not  attending  to  their  work.  Th^ 
know,  too,  that  he  is  just  as  good  a  fellow  as  any  one  of  their  own  number, 
and  that  he  enjoy8s§  joke  as  well  as  those  inside  the  circle.  After  all 
the  illness  and  monotony  of  the  work,  there  is  no  dnlness  about  the 
workmen,  and  the  time  passes  so  rapidly  with  them,  that  they  are  some- 
tmes  astoniidted  when  a  firesh  *'  telegraph  watch  "  com^s  to  their  relie£ 

The  cable  men  of  the  Niagara  were  like  so  many  Mark  Tapkys, 
and  oame  out  most  creditably  under  circumstances  that  wonld  have 
damped  the  ardor  of  any  other  body  of  men.  The  circle  of  coilers,  as 
they  sat  round  the  ring  piling  tip  flake  on  flake,  were  more  like  a  social 
party  aaaeabled  for  amusement  than  a  body  of  operatives  who  had  a 
monotonous  work  to  perform.  They  amused  themselves  with  conun- 
dnuns,  both  good  and  bad,  related  yams  as  long  as  the  maintop-bow- 
line, and  laughed  at  jo^es  that  they  had  heard  for  the  twentieth  time. 
Bat  withid  there  was  no  neglect  of  l|^  work,  which  went  on  VAoeasingly 
from  mom  to  night,  and  from  nigUl^mora,iiIl  the  twenty-flrst  day  saw 
the  last  mSe  of  it  placed  on  boar^vNearly  one-half  the  time,  too,  they 


iivl 


,     f 


it! 


,i 


1  I 


is  . 


w 


102 


i  ;.*-- 


J  ,f 


THB  QOBAN  TELEOBAPH. 


(   i 


were  reduced  to  »  stoop- 
ing posture,   for,   as   the 
coils  increased  in  height, 
the  space  between  the  top 
of  them  and  the  beams  of 
the  ^ok  overhead  gradu- 
ally diminished  so  as  to 
render  it   impossible    for 
tljenl  to  stand,  or  even  sit 
upright.     In  this  eztreiq- 
ity    they    resorted    to    a 
contrivance  which  was  no 
less  novel  than  it  was  in- 
geiious,  and  which  afford- 
ed them  an  inexhaustible 
fund  of  mirth  and  hUmor. ' 
5  The  operative  who  travel- 
g  led  round  the  circle,  pay- 
H  ing  out   the   cable  which 
a  he  hauled  down  through 
I  the   opening    above  him, 
I  was    obliged    by  the  in« 
e  creasing  height  of  the  coil, 
S  not  only  to  stoop  like  his 
S  fellow-workmen,  but  was 
g  compelled  to  go  down  upon 
his  hands  and  knees.     As 
it    was   impossible,  how- 
ever, for  him  to  use  his 
hands  while  upon  all-fours, 
it  became  necessary  to  de- 
vise another  way  of  pay- 
ing  out   to    the  ooilers. 
The    inventive    facdties 
were  now  called  into  play, 
and  the  result  was  the  con- 
trivance which  is  repre- 
sented in  the   subjoined 
engraving. 

A  belt,  it  may  be  ob- 
served, is  fiistened  rooad 
his    body,    and    to    t^Js 


1.^,- 


.t 


THE  7IBST  ATLAUno  KXTEMTION'. 


103 


i 


•gain  18  attached  an  iron  ring  through  which  the  cable  paases,  an^^y^ 
means  of  which  it  is  thus  paid  out  to  the  operators.  When  tWs  in- 
genious contrivance  was  introduced,  it  was  welcomed  amid  ayshower  of 
jokes  from  every  part  of  the  circle,  and  when  harnessed  f  the  "  payer 
out,"  the  provocation  was  so  perfectly  irresistible,  that  |r()m  that  time  to 
the  end  of  the  work  there  \*ere  enough  yams  spuajand  stories  told  to 
make  a  dozen  such  volumes  aflVBaroii  Mnnchaus^,  with  a  whole  library 
of  Joe  Millers  to  boot.  Heywas  called  "a  fast  boss,"  " ja  bob-tailed 
nag,"  "  a  full-blooded  racer,"  &fiL,  &e.y  &c^''and  small  bets  were  offered 
on  his  trotting  round  the  courseXin  lei6  than  two  forty.  "  Hey — get 
along  there — what  're  you  about — ^pat  round,  my  fllly — ^jee  up  now  and 
show  your  training,"  and  such  like  exclamations  greeted  him  as  he  pro- 
ceeded on  all  fours  round  the'  cone.  "  Give  me  a  grip  of  your  tail,  old 
Joey."  "  ^here  le  goes  off  in  a  panter — ten  to  one  on  his  pacing,"  and 
so  the  fun  was  kept  up,  the  fast  nag  himself  occasionally  joining  in  with 
the  company,  lake  it  altogether,  there  was  never  such  a  combination 
of  humor,  fun,  genius  and  art,  as  was  to  be  found  in  the  submarine 
oable  circles  of  the  Niagara,  and  if  the  circles  of  the  Agamemnon  had 
only  half  the  complement,  they  must  have  been  as  jolly  a  set  of  fellows 
as  ever  assembled  on  a  British  roan  of  war. 

While  the  Niagara  was  receiving  the  oable  in  the  Mersey,  a  meeting 
of  the  members  of  the  Atkntic  Telegraph  Company  was  held  in  London 
to  decide  upon  the  debated  question,  whether  the  laymg  of  tha^able 
should  be  commenced  from  Valentia  Bay  or  from  mid-ooean.  The  en- 
gineers were  in  favor  of  the  latter  course,  but  they  were  overruled  by 
the  electricians,  who  advocated  the  former.  And  so  it  was  decided,  that 
the  cable  should  be  lanyied  at  Valentia  Bay,  and  paid  out  across  the 
ocean  to  Newfoundland.  According  to  the  plan  adopted,  the  Niagara 
was  to  pay  out  her  portion  of  the  cable  first,  and  th6n  to  splice  the  end 
to  that  on  board  the  Agamemnon,  which  was  to  lay  the  remaining  half, 
and  land  her  end  at  Trinity  Bay,  the  point  of  connection  on  the  Amer- 
ican side.  Whatever  doubts  there  may  have  been  as  to  the  greater 
feasibility  of  the  mid-ooean  plan,  there  certainly  can  be  none  now  in 
view  of  Uie  results  which  have  attended  the  first  and  last  expeditions. 

THE  9IAGABA  AND  THE  TBLEGBAPH  FLEET  AT  QUEEN8T0W». 

The  coiling  of  the  cable  on  the  Niagara  at  Liverpool  oocupied  three 
weeks,  as  we  have  said,  but  her  departure  was  delayed  by  the  fitting  up 
of  the  machinery.  She  left  Liverpool,  however,  on  the  27th  of  July  for 
Queenstown,  Ireland,  where  she  arrived  on  the  2.9th  of  the  same  month. 
While  at  Queenstown  several  electrical  Experiments  were  made,  and 
satisfactory  results  reported,  although  it  was  subsequently  admitted,  that, 


/:, 


M 


.#1 


-vl 


.!; .! : 


i'.ni 


re  i^  <ftu,     \%    •■ijAX,  ^,  1,.,,  , 


■"^•■ 


,-»i.,.'  i;.:;'!-  ji»-' 


il 


.f-f 


IH 


THE  OOBAir  IBLEOaAPH. 


if  the  oable  had  b«en  Baooewifany  gabmfirged  on  the  flnt  expeditioo 
the  eleotricinDB  could  not  have  sent  messages  through  it  The  Agamem- 
non arrived  at  Queenstown  on  the  30th  of  July,  three  days  after  the 
Niagara;  and  whUe  the  vessela  were  lying  withitfa  few  hundred  yards 
of  ea^h  another,  the  ends  of  the  oable  on  both  were  joined  so  as  to 
make  one  continuous  line  of  twenty-five  hundred  milep.  The  insulation 
was  found  to  be  perfect,  and  about  ninety  currents  were  sent  through 
the  conductor  in  a  minute,  but  the  electricians  had  not  attained  that 
perfection  in  their  instruments  necessary  to  secure  the  correct  transmis- 
sion of  words  and  messages. 

The  whole  telegraph  squadron,  consisting  of  the  following  Teswls 
sailed  from  Queenstown : 

The  U.  8.  Steam  Frigate  Niagara,  to  lay  the  half  of  the  oable  from 
Valentia  Bay,  Ireland., 

The  U.S.  Steam  Frigate  Susquehanna,  to  attend  upon  the  Niagara. 

H.  M.  Steamer  Agamemnon,  to  lay  the  half  of  the  cable  on  the 
American  side.  / 

H.  M.  Steamer  Leopard,  to  attend  upon  the  Agamemnon. 

H.  M.  Steamer  Cyclops,  to  go  ahead  of  the  steamers,  and  keep  tiie 
oourse.  '^ 

The  .team«b»"  Advice  "and  «  WUling  Mind, "  to  assist  in  landiwr 
the  cable  in  Valentia.  ^ 

In  Trinity  Bay  the  U.  S.  Steamer  Arctio  and  the  Telegraph  Com- 
pany's steamer  Victoria  were  to  await  the  arrival  of  the  fleet,  and  assist 
in  landing  the  oable  there. 


m 


II: 


DJIPAETURE  OP  THE  SQUADRON  FOR  VALENTIA 

BAY— THE  MACHINERY  AND  OTHER  APPLI- 

ANCES  FOR  LAYING  THE  CABLE. 

The  flqusdron  left  Queenstown  for  Valentia  Bay  on  Monday,  the  8d 

of  August,  and  arrived  there  the  following  day.    Advantage  was  taken 

of  the  passage  to  experiment  with  flie  maohineiy,  wfakih  up  to  that  time 

^d  not  been  tested  on  board  the  Niagara.    Before  referring  more  par- 

ticnlarly  to  these  experimenta,  however,  it  becomes  oeoessary  at  this  stage 

of  the  undertaking,  to  lay  before  the  reader  a  detuled  deeoription  of  the 

various  points  which  are  neceaaaiy  to  an  imderataQding  of  the  whole  mh- 

jeot.     And,  first  of  all,  let  us  look  at  that  wonderfiil  plateau— that  great 

submarine  prairie,  whioh  lies  betweea  XreUad  and  NewfoundlMd,  ^d 


Pfr^jfi^^S^ir 


,\ 


THE  FQtar  ATLAMTIO  BJCPEDITION. 


105 


which  flMUM  to  have  been  pUoed  there  by  the  hand  of  Providence  for 
(Ub  great  end. 

THE  ATLANTIC  TELEaBAPH  PLATEAU. 

In  the  oouTBe  of  thig  work  reference  has  been  made  to  the  many 
•  ^ingH  which  appear  to  have  conspired  in  favor  of  this,  the  greatest  enter- 
prise ever  undertaken  by  man.    The  discovery  of  the  value  of  gutta  peroha 
as  an  insulator  happened  at  the  most  opportune  moment,  and  proved  of  the 
most  vital  importance;  and  still  later,  at  a  time  when  the  pfospeot  of    ^ 
an  Atlantic  telegraph  was  not  only  discussed  but  was  absolutely  under- 
taken, a  great  plateau,  it  was  asserted,  extended  along  the  bed  of  the 
ooean,  exactly  between  the  two  points  which  it  was  proposed  to  <^nneot. 
In  both  these  instances— that  is,  in  the  discovery  of  this  peculiar  use  of 
gutta  percha  and  in  the  existence  of  this  grand,  ocean  level— nature 
aeems  to  have  given  her  powerful  assistance  towards  the  successful 
accomplishment  of  the  undertaking.    While  every  other  part  df  the 
bed  of  the  Atlantic  is  marked  by  the  same  inequalities,  the  same  abrupt 
declivities  and  mountain  heights,  this  is  like  an  immense  prairie,  etretoh- 
ing  over  an  extent  of  fourteen  hundred  miles  from  east  to  west,  with  an 
average  depth  of  seventeen  hundred  fathoms,  and  never  exceeding 
twenty-five  hundred,  entirely  free  from  under  currents,  lying  directly 
between  the  most  advanced  posts  of  the  Old  and  New  "Worlds,  and  as  it 
approaches  the  Newfoundland  coast,  north  of  the  Great  Bank,  entirely 
free  from  the  effects  of  icebergs,  which  ground  on  the  shallow  bot- 
toms.    It  seems  not  only  peculiarly  adapted  for  the  purpose,  but  as  if 
it  were  absolutely  designed  by  Providence  for  this  very  object. 

The  existence  of  this  plateau  was  believed  in  some  years  beforO 
it  was  proved  by  actual  test.    Sea  captains  who  had  made  fireqaeflt 
passages  over  this  route,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  depth  of  the 
water  in  this  part  of  the  ocean  was  not  so  great  as  ttiat  to  the  north  and 
south  of  it— a  oonolusion  which  was  based  upon  the  indications  in  the 
difference  of  color.     One  of  the  theori.«  in  regard  to  the  formation 
of  this  ocean  prairie  is  based  on  the  revolutions  which  some  scientific 
men  siy  were  effected  during  the  ice  period.    The  immense  granite 
boulders  which  are  found  on  the  limestone  prairies  of  Iowa  and  Illinois, 
ire  BU^KWed  to  have  been  deposited  where  they  now  are  when  the  sea 
odvered  those  vast  plaina    There  are  no  rocks  of  a  similar  description, 
!t  is  alleged,  nearer  than  flrom  five  hundred  to  a  thousand  miles  to  the 
north  of  them,  and  their  remarkable  appearance  at  this  distance  is 
aooounied  for  in  a  tather  ingenious  manner.    It  is  believed  ihat  they 
Were  <»nv«yed  scmthward  from  the  Arctic  regions  in  the  frosen  embraces 
*f  gl^tfo  teebergs,  and  that  on  reaching  a  more  genial  climate  they 


i 


h 


i: 


: 


fi    ¥  ;-i  i 


Hi 


106 


M 


f''k 


1>   I 


r 


V^- 


THI  OCTIAK  TJXJWRAPH. 


were  Uterally  thaw  ont  and  deposited  where  they  are  now  seen.     Br 
th    depo«Us  of  theae  and  other  xnaterial.,  it  i«  afgued  rraTries  of 

»  iori»«(i  tie  b«l  of  the  ooean,  were  thu.  tailt  op  ,l,».linl,M  .».  - 

1'.?°° "'.! '™"" •«'■"'' p"'^""  •"■°^'  """I'f  Hf™Th;°^ 

Slf  ^^^^f"  Company  would  be  under  .ligh  TbU«  iotto 

me  ta  them  every  year  ju«t  iu  the  right  spot,  and,  wending  oS^^^^ 
^terly  d.rec  .on,  i^ediately  ab.ve  the  line  of  tie  plateCaTrTes^' 
t  the  n.ore  sold  matter  with  which  they  were  freight  «d  Si  ^^ 
tors  along  Its  route.    This  matter,  combined  with'what  iThddt^Ltiol 
by  Itself,   forms  in  the  course  of  thousands  of  vews  ^Zl 
auJEcien,  perhaps,  to  make  an  island  large^thlTtrf  ZTSrftat 
The  telegraph  plateau  has  been  called  a  plain;  but  it  is,  ml  n^Zt 
speabng,  an  immense  table-land,  like  the  steals  of  ^Tn^i    -T  ^ 
uj.  from  the  bed  of  ^e  ocean.    To  the  south'*:f7t^  Sfe  Atlt^nsTo^' 
fi^,  a^  su  «Jes  deep    whUe  on  the  plateau  alone  is  there  «ly  tS 
1^  a  unrform  lerel.    In  «idition  to  the  rocks  which  hare  been  dep^ 
ted  by  the  melting  or  melted  icebergs,  there  is.  «i  has  been^Zt 

«»undmgs  of  (ie  two  officers  of  the  United  Sutes  »>d  British  navies,  j«t 


1 


•  -III 


■  .\    ,Vj  »' 


\ 


J. 


TflE  FIBST  ATLANTIO  EXFBDITIOK. 


107 


named,  in  gnat  part  of  exceedingly  minute  shells,  so  minute  indeed,  u 
to  be  imperceptible  to  the  naked  eye.  The  finding  of  these  is  considered 
an  infallible  indication  of  the  absonoe  of  currents  at  the  bottom  of-  this 
part  of  the  ocean.  This  belief  is  further  sustained  by  the  fact,  that  in 
the  soundings  of  Captain  ^yman  and  Lieut.  Berryman,  the  slack  line 
would  be  coiled  and  kinked  over  the  lead,  shoiring  plainly  that  it  had 
reached  the  bottom  after  the  lead  had  become  detached,  which  could 
not  hare  been  the  case  if  the  plateau  were  swept  by  currents. 

The  first  soundings  which  were  made  were  taken  by  Lieut  Berry- 
nan  in  the  summer  of  1858,  and  the  second  and  last  in  the  fall  of  1856. 
These  were  very  suooessful,  establishing,  beyond  all  peradventure,  the 
ezistenoe  of  the  plateau.  In  June  and  July  of  1857,  Captain  Day- 
man, of  H.  M.  S.  Cyclops,  also  made  soundings  on  the  line  of  the  pro- 
posed telegraph,  and  with  the  same  satisfactory  result.  Some  excep- 
tions had  been  taken  in  regard  to  the  reliability  of  Lieut  Berryman's 
tonndings,  but  those  of  Captain  Dayman  were  strongly  corroboratire  of 
their  correctness,  making  allowance  for  the  variations  of  locality  in  th« 
loundings  of  the  two  officers. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  soundings  of  Capt  Dayman  and 
\  Lieut  Berryman  were  made  at  distances  of  firom  five  to  thirty  miles 
^  ap*rt,  and  were  seldom  if  ever  taken  within  a  mile  of  each  other. '^  la 
view  of  this  faot  the  reader  will  at  once  perceive  their  remarkable  ooin- 
oidence.  Oapt.  Dayman  states  in  his  report  tllat  whatever  errors  there 
may  be  in  the  depths  given  by  marked  lines,  they  are  on  the  side  of  el- 
oess.  The  reason  for  this  is  twofold :  "  Firstly^  the  loss  of  time  (and 
oonaeqnently  loss  of  line  also)  in  estimating  at  g^at  depths,  by  the  io* 
tervala,  the  exact  moment  when  the  sinker  ceases  ti^desoend.  Secondly, 
the  loss  of  line  which  may  be  caused  by  the  deviations  from  the  per* 
pendioolar  of  certain  portions  of  it  in  passing  throu^  water  moved  by 
under  cunenta."  He  is  of  opinion  that  soundings  in  dtnpths  above  1,000 
or  1,600  fathoms  can  be  depended  upon  as  strictly  as  iirithin  twenty  or 
twenty-five  fitthoms,  except  with  very  small  and  light  lii^es.  In  regaid 
to  the  diq[>atfld  exirtenoe  of  under  currents,  he  relates  the  following  in* 
tereating  ineidott:  "  On  the  evening  of  the  16th  of  July,  the  sea  betng 
too  high  for  the  employment  of  smaller  lines  with  any  ohanpe  of  bring- 
ing up  Uie  bottom,  I  sounded  with  the  tapered Irhale  line  aM  a  sink«r 
of  ninety-Mz  pounds  weight,  trusting  for  the  depth  to  the\^^ 
macbine  attached,  oorteoted  for  index  error,. ascertained  withl ' 
Une.  The  depth  thos  found  waa  2,176;  but  2,400  fiohoms  o^ 
bean  paid  ontt  to  maka  son  of  dat^^  the  weight,  an^  t^  (vd^  i 
piisei  the  i^  fothoma  next  to  the  mm  came  up  to  the^^li^  vb^^ 
iimi^wiSi,    'S\»  aiakar  wiui  detaehed,  and  the  valve  (as  usujal  in i 


\ 


■J": 


ViH* 


.   11 


4 


i-  i 


'*1»!*/-v''*'''t' 


\A. 


108 


TBI  OOHAir  nUOBAjni. 


»t  the  bottom  la  »  ood  wm  in  many  plM«.  oowed  with  th«  nmo  k3 
of  00.*,  which  hid  .dhmd  to  it  tL;ngh<«t  it.  pJZ  io  t^  « J^!^ 
Snbt^ng  200  fro.  2.400,  the  «nZt  of  iL^e^bS^tX 

SSL  "PPr'T  i'^*^  ''  2,200  fcthom.,  or  about ,  twentHou. 
fethonu  more  th«  th.t  d«,wn  by  the  nuehine.  A.  the  dup  w«  W 
ttroughoat  the  ^ration  e«otly  orer  the  line.  „d  the  depSiTJk^ 
ti^os  (mmua  the  200  fcthonui  foul  on  the  bottoi)  i«re-  wiZ  ZnT 
fouMjthom.  of  th.1  ,.^,ded  by  the  funding  iXT  I^^^ 
of  whioh  may  fertoiuttely  in  thi.  inrt«oe  be  depended  upon  itVoSi 
jWear  th.t  th.  line  mu.t  h£v.  been  e^ried  do^  „e.r;^;i;l:S^ 
Urly,  Md  that,  therefore,  no  under  ourrent  aileoted  it"       '^^""'^ 

.1.  r'lLJ'^i*  ^  **  '  ■^"•"'  "^"  ^  *•»«»  '^'w  i»«i-t  that  the 
^^  bed  of  the  ooean  i,  «rept  by  ^umnf.  and  that  i.  oon«qu,i 
thereof  .t  i,  unpo«ibte  to  lay  a  cable  ever  in  the  g«at  depthi  ^^ 
The^unemi  of  the  bottom  whioh  were  brought  op  by  Capt  Da,, 
mn  and  Lieut  Be„yn,an  are  exoeediTgly  intereZg  Tn  r^c^tj^^ 

out  ,t»  who  e  length  by  a  eoft  kind  of  «ud,  whioh  haa  been  oaU^oS 
»d  which  u^mpoeed  mainly  of  the  renuin.  of  the  .mall^^^ 
m«ne  hfo-of  creaturea  »>  minute  aa  to  ie«rme  the  atrongeat  vmZ 
of  ti^e  nucjx«H,po  to  make  them  .i«ble  to  *U  human  eyaT^p^ 

W  Z  V  "^r^  "  •''•*^  ««-.  the  oo^u,  from  nI^o^ 
kad,  buthea  rafter  between  the  16ih  and  48th  d,«ree.  of  weat  W 
tade    The  greateat  depth  i.  2,400  fcthoma,  a«H>rfiug  to  Cant  SS 
ZLI^orTi^  to  the  «>unding.  of  LiL  B^„,  ft'L^^ 
cZ^.h  Ik     i^  "."^  'y-urkable,  ind  indeed  alioat  the  only  I 
chTity  which  ha.  been  found  along  the  line,  i.  that  lying  under  tlw  16(1 

f^  Tane.  from  660  to  1.760.  «,d  the  nature  of  the  bottomZ^ 
from^rock  to  ooae.  the  latter  h^be« 

r.Jl  f"^1.  b«  «»neml,«ed  here,  how«m,  that  the*  mmt^^y^ 

SmTtT*"  in  the  form  of  .  g^tt.  dop,.    Whr<:t^  J 

Mored  inthe«.^^«tarfkote*7m««ner  by  the  ,«dt  of  lh»  ..pedition 

*^toal  iBtpeditiontof  1868^  whieh  ahoM^  that  thw« 

iranaof  tiw eable  lAidi  fonhed Ihe  chief  (4>. 

'  Meditemnean  cable  from  Sardinia  to  Algwia. 


]«oir^  in  the  mo 
of  1^7  and  and 
were  none  of  thoN  w^ 
■taofe  in  the  layii^  ofl 


f^f^ 


/. 


^!li^^?Ja*BtlA%>3^« 


ft^^ 


aS  i^^A.^ 


r 


'tBfk  fan  Anuumo  nnoiTioN. 


100 


An  kttMnpt  wm  nftde  to  Uy  Ow  line  between  thoM  two  pobta  in  Sep- 
tember, 1866,  uid  it  WM   pj;ooeeaing  moat  (kTorably,  wlen  a  moit 
•taraung  flight  of  the  e«ble  oeoarrM.     "  About  two  milee,  weighing  six- 
teen ton»,  «ew  oat  with  the  greateet  violenoe  in  four  or  fiye  minutes, 
flying  rooaad  even  when  the  dnmw  were  brought  tp  a  dead  stop,  creating 
the  greatert  alarm  fiw  the  eafety  of  the  men  in  the  hold,  and  for  the 
TeeseL"    In  the  laying  of  the  Atlantic  cable  in  August  of  1857  there 
waa,  as  has  been  stated,  no  difficulty  of  this  kind,  although  they  had 
passed  the  abrupt  deoliyity  alluded  to  the  day  before  the  cable  part<M, 
tiifon^  the  mlmanagement  of  the  then  ohief  engineer,  Mr,  Bright, 
Md  the  defective  charaotwr  of  his  maohinery-     If  there  waa  one  fact 
(kvorable  to  the  saoeea  of  the  enterprise,  whiuh  was  proved  more  clearly 
tbM  any  other,  it  was  the  ease  with  which  the  line  was  laid  on  this 
particular  part  of  the  plateaO. 

Prom  Valentia  Bay  to  16  degrees  6  minutes  west,  the  bottom  cour 
■ste  of  rook,  of  sand,  and  of  mud.     The  bettom  bed^ee^  the  fbrtj^flfth  ' 
degree  of  wes^  longitude  and  the  Newfbundland  coast  is  irregular,  and  U 
nwde  up  of  stones  and  gravel,  but  by  steering  to  the  north  of  *he  arc  of 
the  great  oirole^-this  is  changed,  and  a  thiok  mud,  peculiarly  adapted 
.  for  the  reception  of  the  cable,  is  obtained.     The  same  muddy  bottom  is 
fonnd  in  Trinity  Bay ;  so  that  no  danger  needjto  apprehended  in  regard 
to  ^e  safbty  of  th*  line.     On  one  occasion,  while  in  latitude  52degree8 
U  minutes  north,  longitude  80  degrees  46  minutes  west,  the  depth  being 
1,675  filthoms,  "  broken  shells  of  large  site,  which  unfortunately  dis^ 
p^^d  in  the  Viands  of  the  surgeon  who  was  washing,"  were  taken  vf. 
These  were  the  only  "shells  of  large  siw  "  which  were  brought  to  the 
Borfkoe,  and  their  disappearanoe  is  to  be  regretted  froffllhe  new  scientific 
jhets  or  information  whioh  th«r  discovery  might  have  published.    "  The 
saonding  maohinw,"  says  Captain  Dayman  in  his  report,  "  w«e  by 
-  Massey;  with  dials  ^duated  from  160,  the  u^nal  deep  Be«  lead,  to  1,600 
•ad  a.OOO.fathoma."     Oaptain  Dayman  also  says  that  "  the  detaching 
•ov^ding  aftiaratus  used  was  a  modification  of  that  invented  bjjr  Mt. 
Brooke,  an  officer  of  the  Unit«l  States  NaVy."    The  specimens  of  the 
soo^dings  %«re  brou^  up  in  a  tube,  whioh  being  the  first  to  striiM  the 
boittova,  seUbm  fiiled  to  soonre  a  portion  of  the  material  of  whioh  it  was 
<Mined.    Of  ooane  thate  waa  do  means  of  ascertaining  the  ^pth  ot 
''    thiokness  of  the  strataniL  of  ooie  ot  the  nature  of  that  pn  whioh  it  sested, 
lAiethflr  it  was  one  fiwt,  a  hundred  or  a  thousand  feet ;  and  it  is  doubtfid 
lAwth«>  this  p^int  wiU  «rvt  be  embraoed  in  the  discoveries  of  soienoe; 
HM  do«s  then  s^em  to  be  any  means  of  ascertaining  whether  the  tele- 
gmph  pl»teau.  hM  be«  built  up  by  the  depoeit  of  immense  boulders 
Vffl^d«wn&<»th«Altti«MgWM  by  gigantic  icebergs.    UntU  soienoe 


.  I 


r\  1 


\M 


.i:1 


■If 


iW. 


fli^ 


ir 


I  >' 


:0  '■  .'". 


M' 


no 


nn  OdUtf  nCLKBAFB. 


"i 


hM  p««letr»M  into  tI»«,proftmiKl«.t  deBtha  of  li>e  o««n   *nJ  KiA  *i 
we  rappoM,  will  arer  be  known  in  re^nTto  til.  tl.«n«      a      ,    ' 

Uon  of  tho.  other  qae.iion.wluclrh;.e  JLtol  Tt*7^:;;J*  "^^  ^ 
THK  lOTDSOBU  OF  TIffl  PLATEAU.      '      ' 

,^  oh  to  the  un«ded  rmor,  .ppe.r  when  dried  of  .  white  orridS 

.  whito^or,  be«.  a  .ery  rtrong  re^mbUnoe  to  very  fine  Lt  ^ 

•ppearanoe  as  they  Ire  at  the  bottom  of  .  .1^  y^,  ^  .^.7  #     Vt 

brown  muddy  ^.ediment,  in  which  are  X^^TJTL^  1/'  '  Y* 

.«planat.onwh,oh  Mr.Thomaa   H^Huxley  FR-fi    tn  J^     '■•        ' 
tion  they  were  eubmittod,  "haa  AirtMd  J^.  nJ!L  \,  .u  ""P**" 

we  have  upon  tfi«  ibtoreiing  ^^^  ^^  ^vrJln  ti    .^^^^^ 
fied  apeoimena  which  the  iUuftratTon  «  J^LrtoTp^il^'^.rf 
perfect  accuracy  of  which  we  can  bear  to.  w"' tC  "ff  *^ 
which  have  just  been  referred"  to  wr.  «!>♦  •    j  i^^  ,  Jpeouneni 

1,700  to  2,400  f.thonu^  ^d  of  thTatd^     ^»  f«pth.  ranging  fto„. 
/^iat  of  minnto  aninuJ  or^nllT ^rr""     v '^  "^°*'**°*^  ««■ 
thick  akeletona  <^^po^^'^L^tt/Z:^t::rT^'^  "'*^ 
poaition  ia  found  in  theLt  *»..♦  f k         i-     •  ^"^^  of  their  com-  - 

>^S  gUMrU  points  of  retembUmx 

H%|P  ^^^l^i"*  '«*J°  "^i""**",-  ««!  -  the  «,ientiflo 
toiy  d^re  to  know  aomething  more  about  t^ 

-^-^^.T^.  ~.att|fcS?./f  o^»«  VHption  by  Mr:  ^ 


-?^'*% 


\ 


« 


THR  HBST   ATLAN-nO  KXPEDITION. 


Ill 


,<f 


A 


/>^The  tubercles  multiply  in  number  and  elongate,  so  as  OTentoally 
to  reaembls  close  net  and  Hliarp-poiiitod  palisadeii,  and  thuii  by  the 
^  off  of  their  outer  cndii,  to  oontitituto  a  more  smooth,  enamel-lika 
%oat,"iifliioh  attains  a  threojiuudrud  and  fiftictli  of  an  inch,  or  more,  in 
thioknosfi.     The  smallest  globigarina  aro  uithor  nlear  Or  have  but  Hlightly 
grauulax  contents,  but  a  very  large  pro|^ortion  of  the  larger  ones  are 
Mndered  opaque  by  a  reddish  brown  granular  mass  contained  in  their 
interior.     When  such  BpectmonH  are  treated  with  very  dilute  acids  which 
dinolye  away  the  calcareous  skeleton,  a  4<ilicatfl  palo  monibrano  is  left 
enclosing  the  granular  m&ss,  .which  scomH  to  bo  held  together  by  a  oou' 
tinuation  of  the  same  substance.     Tho.gj-anular  contents  have  the  sam*-' 
form  as  ther  skeleton,  and  are  quite  soft  and  easily  crushed.     I  can  hardly 
doubt  that  these  are  the^ft  and  onco  living  parts  of  the  animal'  itat>lf^ 
with  or  without  imbedded  foreign  tantters.     The  other  five  per  cent,  of 
the  caloare<  >9  organisms  are /oraminiy>r(»,  of,,  at  most,  not  more  than 
^fonr  or  five  species.     The  remaiuing  ten  per  cent,  of  the  whole  deposit 
consists. pu.tly  of  granular  matter,  partly  of  animal,  and  partly  of  vege- 
table organisms,  provided  with  Hiliccons  skeletons  and  envelopes.     The 
other  speeimens  consiit^of  broken  fragments  of  diatomacea,  so  imp«r-- 
feot  and  so  broken  thai  they  cm  witli  difficulty  be  distinguished  iMnong 
the  mass." 

A  cdnsiderablo  difference  of  opinion  exists  amotig  soientiflo  men 
in  regard  to.  iiio  birthplace  of  these  singular  forms  of  life,     li  is  Qon-- 
tended  by  some  that  they  have  been  carried  to  that  part  of  tho  ocean 
where  they  are  now  found  by  the  Gulf  Stream,  and  by  others  that  they 
have  sunk  from  the  surface  of  the  ocean,  where  they  have  lived  and  died. . 
Both  these  positions,  bowever,  are  assumed,  as  we  understand  j  merely  as  a 
matter  of  speculation,  in  thft  absence  of  such  information  as  further  and 
fuller  research  may  give.     If' they  have  drifted  into  their  present  bed  by 
the  action  of  the  6df  Stream,  they  must  have  had  their  birth  in  shallow 
waters ;  but  thee  it  is  argued  in  opposition  to  this  view  that  none  of  thb 
edtini  which  inhabit  shallow  water  are  found  with  them.     In  regard  to 
the  idea  advanced  that  they  have  lived  and  died  at  the  surface,  from^whioh 
they  have  gradually  lonk  to i>he  bottom,  it  is  said  that  some  globigwitut, 
oi  something  that  tpeseitil^  them,1ia.Te  been  found  in  the  "Western  Pacific. 
In  oppoaitioB  to  tbii,  however,  it  is  denied  that  these  are  globigerin(»,«ai 
BO  that  speculation , is  disposeiT  jf     There  is  yet  another  proposition, 
which,  as  we  have  entered  upon  the  scientific  explanation  of  the  snbjecti, 
should  not  be  forgotten.    We  have  given  the  two  positions-^that  is,  that  • 
these  minute  orgaQisms  have  lived  and  died  in  shallow  waters,  from 
whiob  they  have  been  carried  by  that  tyonder-working  agent  which  per- 
'   forms  saoh  an  indispensable  part  in  the  economy  of  natord — the*  Qulf 


?\t 


V^H'^. 


iri 


!■:  . 


-P 


'i     - 


■M] 


^ 


-,J  1, 


!'■..'  V, 


41'"  M-r?  ^^^/t'^j:''-^ 


,  T.".^. 


i> 


'i^: 


m 


i 


?■*' 
I  * 


5 


!«■. 


'?  '^.'  vO- 


-'A 


112 


THK  OCEAN  XP.BOKAPH. 


wi«rr  ^'J  '^'^  *^''"^'  ^•^^'  *°^  ^°  <J«P<»i*«d  from  above 

^aLl      T^.  "'-r  'T''  *"^'  *"«  "  ^«*  anothC  which  must  L 
Btatei     The  e:.i8tence  of  any  form  of  life  in  the  great  depths  of  Z 

ZTlT^'^L'"    V  ^r-^^«'^"*  '*  appears'nowlTt  isnoC 

or  fc"  hundred  fathoms  below  the  surface, "  the  difference  in  the  amount 
of  hght  and  heat  at  400  and  at  2,000  fathoms  is  probably,  so  to  Z^ 
veiy  far  less  than  the  difference  in  complexity  of  organk^i^  be^^n 
HouTdrngr'^^  "^'  ^"^  '^"^  ^'"^  and^o^.,^^  ,f  ^e  d^  ^^ 
'«n.J?'"  fr  ""  ^^^^  ^"'''°*''*  *^'  ^"'°™«  t^^ories  to  which  the  dis- 
tifio  explanations  by  which  they  are  enforced.     These  Lj  or  may  Zt 

^  interesting,  as  the  reader 
may  determine,  but  they  are 
subjects  of  the  greatest  impor- 
tance to  naturalists,  who,  it  is 
to  be  hoped,  will  some  day  ren- 
der them  Bufficiehtly  clear  and 
intelligible  to  the  unscientific  . 
portion  of  the  civilized  world 
by  divesting  their  description 
of  those  technicalities  which, 
however  gratifying  they  are  to 
the  learned*  writers,  are  gene- 
rally heavy,  dull,  iftupid,  unin- 
telligible, and  sometimes  alarm- 
ing to  the  uninitiated  and  un- 
learned readers.      When  they 
know  that  those  infusoria,  or 
(not.  to  be  soientifio  ourselves) 
when  these  minute  forms  of  life, 
some  of  which  are  not  larger 
than  the  pomt  of  a  pin,  are  just 
the  thingg  to  form  a  bed  for 
the  cable  to  rest  on   or  In, 
^here    there    are    plenty  of 
them,  as  there  are;  that  they 
willin  course  of  time  enter  into  ' 
oombination  with  the  iron  wire 
of  the  cable  when  it  is  in  pro- 


MOHLT  iua»TinD  ncfD*  UA  TAUB  nou  na 

«MJMI»Ajri;  yt-AWitn, 


''^ 


THB  fIB8T  AlliANTIO  EXPEDITION. 


lis 


ing  a  concrete  mass  around  the  gatta  percha  insolation,  and  protecting 
it  trayood  possibility  of  injury ;  and  that  finally,  no  matter  whether  they 
have  lived  and  died  above  the  spot  whence  they  have  been  taken,  or  have 
drifted  there  with  the  Gulf  Stream,  they  are  just  in  the  very  place 
where  they  are  wanted— understanding  these  things,  the  people  will 
realize  their  importance  to  the  great  enterprise,  no  matter  how  much 
naturalists  may  dispute  regarding  their  birth-place. 

These  engravings  represent  the  infusoria  magnified  three  hundred 
times  their  natural  size,  which  are  so  infinitesimal  as  to  be  the  merest 
mites  on  the  surface  of  a  microscopic  glass.  Notwithstanding  they  are 
so  perfect  in  form,  so  delicate  in  construction,  and  so  minute  in  size,  the 
bed  of  the  plateau  is  so  quiet  and  undisturbed  from  the  action  of  the 
ooean  that  scarcely  any  of  them,  comparatively  speaking,  are  injured  or 
broken  by  abrasion  or  attrition.  They  do,  indeed,  form  a  sort  of  bed 
of  down  for  the  cable  to  rest  upon. 


4%} 


THE  OBfiAT  OCEAN  CABLE. 


The  manu&oture  of  the  Atlantic  Telegraph  Oitble  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  most  simple  processes 
it  is  possible  to  conceive.  The  cable  is  formed  of  the  strand  ot  seven 
copper  wires  which  compose  the  conductor  and  whieh  ooeapy  the  eentre; 
the  gutta  percha  insulator,  the  hempen  serving,  and  the  outer  wire 
covering  or  protecting  armor. 

The  discovery  of  the  peculiar  properties  of  gutta  peroihs,  dates  back 
to  the  year  1842  or  1843,  but  its  application  to  submarine  telegraph- 
ingdid  not  take  place  till  about  the  year  1850,  when  its  value  as  an 
insulator  was  proved  by  the  laying  of  a  cable  across  the  English  'channel. 
Up  to  this  period,  the  manufkcture  of  the  n^ir  material  was  confined 
to  the  making  of  water  pipes,  machine  belts,  picture  frames,  and-  innu- 
^nerable  other  articles  for  which  it  was  considered  especially  adapted ; 
but  the  impulse  given  to  the  trade  by  theziew  use  which  was  found  for 
it  created  an  increased  demand,  and  it  eventually  beoame  one  of  the 
most  valuable  and  important  articles  of  import 

The  tree  from  which  the  gutta  percha  is  obtained  gtoiro  in  the  East 
Indies,  and  the  principal  market  is  at  Sibgapdre,  from  which  the  London' 
Qntta  Percha  Company  procure  their  supply.  It  is  sent  to  them  in  its 
erude  state,  and  has  to  be  subjected  €o  the  several  processes  of  masti- 
oatton,  boiling  and  kneading,  before  it  can  be  employed  in  the  maDu&o- 
tare  of  the  subittarine  cable.  In  this  condition,  as  it  lies  in  the  store- 
honae  of  the  company,  yon  discover  among  the  mass  several  rough 
"lipeiSnenl  of  ihelBir  orthe  nativies.  Here  U  something  tii^  liF 
8  -> 


i 


:  II 


■  M 


!  !■■ 


M 


U 


i 


^i4 


Ulfc 


THB  OOSAV  TBUOBAPm 


eyidently  intendsd  for  a  eunel,  althongh  then  is  no  tnoe  of  a  hnmp  on 
hia  back,  aad  he  has  lost  »  ^;  daring  his  long  sea  voyags,  bat  the  anisfe 
has  still  left  safficient  evidence  by  which  to  tell  the  species  to  which  he 
belongs.    There  are  quite  a  large  number  of  aoimals  bendes  this,  but  th« 
task  of  classifying  them  would  exceed  even  the  powers  of  Cuvier  himseUl 
This  one  has  the  bill  of  a  duck  on  a  head  that  otherwise  resembles  tha*<if 
a  monkey,  and  that  other  'a  a  combination  of  bird  and  quadruped,  for  tha 
like  of  which  you  might  search  in  vain  aoumg  all  the  fiibulous  mytho- 
logical or  manufiwtured  aoimals  that  were  ev^  oreatefi  by  the  inventive 
genius  of  ancient  poet  or  modem  shopman.    AU  these—the  animal 
with  the  monkey's  hesd  and  duck's  biU ;  the  three-legged  and  humploss 
caipel— in  a  word,  the  whole  menagerie— are  put  into  immense  eaul. 
drons,  with  the  common  mass,  and  boUed,  and  boiled  again,  untU  they 
are  rendered  as  soft  as  dough.    In  this  state  the  guttapercha  is  thrown 
mto  a  machine  oaUed  a  mastieator,  in  which  it  is  literally  torn  into 
shreds,  and  from  which  it  is  again  taken  to  be  again  boiled.  .  By  this 
process  it  is  purified  and  freed  from  aU  foreign  materials  which  may 
have  entered  into  it  while  it  was  baiag  ooUeoted  by  the  Hindoos.     But 
it  is  not  yet  fit  for  the  work  tot  which  it  is  designed,  and  must  be  agab 
masticated,  cleansed,  and  knead«i  several  timai  before  it  oan  be  used  in 
the  covering  or  insulation  of  the  copper  wm*  aI«Dg  which  the  eleo- 
trio  current  is  to  pass.    Whwii*  has  bsen  thoroughly  kneaded,  it  is  so 
parfectly  plastic,  that  it  oan  be  joined  with  the  greatest  ease,  and  in 
such  a  manner  that  it  cannot  be  torn  apart  at  the  point  of  adheaba 
The  two  parts  being  joined,  beeome  as  oompletaly  ona,  as  united  and 
blrnded  as  two  glasses  of  water  when  posted  into  the  same  vessel    This, 
property  which  it  possesses  is  peonliarly  val«M>le,  when  it  is  found  n» 
oessary  to  repair  any  defeota  in  a  eable  dnring  tha  proeeaa  of  paying  it 
out    In  such  oases  it  is  only  necessary,  after  s^«ng  the  bteraalooppw 
wire  or  conductor,  to  heat  the  parts  of  the  gutU  peroha  which  are  to  bO: 
joined.    Whoa  this  is  done,  the  open  space  or  bwak  is  oowred  by  layew^ 
of  gutta  peroha  as  thin  as  the  psge  on  which  we  write,  and  eight  or  ten 
of  whioh  layers  we  required  to  maka  Qm  broken  part  onifonn  with  tiia 
rest 

Over  twenty  tons  of  the  r«w  aaterial  aiw  maunl^etttNd  n^rj  mak 
in  the  factory,  and  in  the  boiling  department  alvoa,  sane  ferty  or  Mt^ 
vats  or  eauldrons  are  constiyitly  in  ose.  On  entering  the  first  ioor,  y«i 
•60  them  thsowiag  out  their  Uttle  jetn  of  steam  m  avaiy  side,  while  tha 
Iwutng  watera  bobbU  np  tbMngh  tha  opanings  on  tof,  raBindipg  jm-* 
of  tha  desoriptioiis  whioh  ttavellars  in  loeland  have  given  of  tha  ^* 
^"Bgs  of  that  strange  country.    Pasaing  from  this  dapartnMnt  to  tha 

•  fbw,  tha  finishing  roont  is  reaohai,  and  hara  tha  prooeM  of  coat- 


"t-'^ 


M 


M 


■"i?':^:'' 


/.w^vv  ■ 


THE  F1E8T  ATLANTIC  EXPEDITION. 


116 


*-^ 


Log  the  condactor  is  performed.  The  conductor  is  composed  of  seven 
copper  wires,  six  being  wound  spirally  round  theseventh,  which  is  per- 
fectly Btraight  and  occupies  the  centre.  TOie  conductor  itself,  on  ao- 
coont  of  its  peculiar  spiral  form,  is  capable  of  being  extended  twenty 
per  cent,  of  its  own  kngdi  before  breaking,  and  the  seven  wires  of  which 
it  ia  composed  give  it  «  decided  and  important  advantage  over  that 
formerly  used.  In  t^  ciMO  <rf  the  first  cable,  which  the  New  York, 
Newfonndland  aitd  London  Telegraph  Company  attempted  unsuccesa- 
^  fully  to  lay  aerMI  th«  (Ml  of  St.  Lawrence,  one  of  the  greatest  diffi- 

^  calties  they  had  to  contend  i^ainst,  was  the  breaking  of  the   three 

-J  conductors,  which,  it  is  more  than  probable,  would  never  have  ocoamd 

had  they  been  composed  of  seven  wires  each,  instead  of  one.  Should 
the  whole  seven  break  under  an  excessive  strain,  the  continuity  or  elec- 
tric connection  will  not  necessarily  be  destroyed  unless  they  all  give  at 
one  point,  an  occurrence  which  may  be  almost  regarded  as  beyond  prob- 
ability. The  advantage  which  it  has  over  the  single  wire  conductor 
cannot  be  doubted,  since  it  has  been  practically  tested  with  the  most 
gratifying  success.  It  has  been  proved  that  the  drawing  out  or  attenua- 
tion of  a  mile  of  the  copper  wire  to  ten-elevenths  of  its  thickness  rednoea 
ita  power  of  condnotion  only  a  thirty-seventh  part. 

The  covering  or  insulating  process  is  effected  by  means  of  a  cylinder, 
in  one  end  of  which  a  die  of  the  required  sire  is  placed,  and  through 
which  the  gntta  percha  is  forced  with  a  piston.  As  it  passes  throt^ 
this  die  in  the  form  of  an  elongated  pipe-stem,  or  maooaroni,  the  core  is 
forced  through  its  centre  at  a  uniform  rate  of  speed,  and  the  now  insu- 
lated conductor  is  cooled  by  drawing  it  through  a  water  conduit  some 
fifty  feet  in  length.  To  insure  its  perfect  insulation  the  core  is  covered 
witii  three  coats  of  gutta  percha,  after  which  it  is  ready  to  receive 
ita  additional  protection  of  prepared  hemp  and  iron  wire.  The  shore  part 
of  the  cable,  which  will  be  about  an  inch  and  a-hfclf  in  diameter,  or 
twice  the  thickness  of  the  portion  intended  for  the  deep  sea,  has  five 
coverings  of  gutU  percha,  and  each  one  of  the  outer  wires  which  are  to 
serve  aa  an  armor  for  it,  is  at  least  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thiot  It  is  a 
massive  aSair,  and  capable  of  resisting  a  strain  equal  to  forty  or  fifty 
tons.  Some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  quantity  of  iron  consumed  in 
the  work,  when  it  is  known  that  the  protecting  armor  requires  379,812 
miles  of  wire  about  the  thickness  of  a  common  pin,  while  the  length  of 
the  copper  wire  required  for  the  conductor  is  21,084  miles.  The  pro- 
teethig  armor  is  composed  of  eighteep  strands,  each  strand  oonaiaiing  of 
BWren  wirea,  wound  nrand  the  inaulated  core  in  %.  spiral  form,  and  being 
■boat  Ae  twelfth  of  an  ineh  tiuok. 


'   if 


■  r 


M 


,i  HI 
11 


>,^;«ii;^|i^t. 


•\#!5l*'?*^.^^f.?liii;l^Wr''''-  ■•''*  *»^*" "  i'^^vM^;, 


Vf  "t; 


<.*:i.p.-..'.i> 


116 


THE  OCKAN  IVLEGRAPH. 


I)  ■ 


fW 


The  following  cngraringg  show  the  exajot  thickness  of  jthe 
and  shore  end  cables. 


sea 


»jrD  xsD  SIDE  Bcmon  or  cabu  j,m\  ztm  or  bhobi  oablb. 


1.  Wire — Eighteen  stninda  of  aeven  wires. 
8.  Outta  peroha— Three  coats. 


2.  Six  stTsnda  of  yarn. 

i.  Telegraph  wires— Seven  tn  nnmber. 


The  manufacture  of  this  part  of  the  \  cable  is  very  simple.     The 
conductor   having    been    thoroughly    testjed,    to   prove    its   complete 
insulation,  the  cable  is  sent  to  the  factory,  where  it  is  covered  with 
the  iron  wire  and   prepared  for  coiling.   ;  Before  the  insulated  wire 
leaves  the  gutta  percha  factory,  every  saW  miles  of  it  are  thoroughly 
examined.      Should    any  flaw    be  found   jit  is  immediately  repaired, 
and  the  cable  is  again  subjected  to  the  elejctrio  test,  when,  if  it  proTB 
perfect,  it  is  allowed  to  remain  undisturbed  until  such  time  as  it  is 
placed  on  shipboard^     The  break  of  continuity  or  connection  in  the 
core  from  imperfect  insulation,  or  4  parting  of  the  oopper  wire,  is  made, 
known  by  the  ringbg  of  a  bell,  "which  sounds  the  alarm  the  instant  the 
interruption  takes  place,  and  continues  ringing  so  long  as  the  battery  sends 
the  electric  stream  along  the  conductor.    The  author  was  an  observer  of 
this  test,  and  saw  it  applied  with  the  most  perfect  success.    The  connection 
was  temporarily  destroyed  ;  but  the  moment  Jjjjftbattery  was  brought  to 
bear  upon  the  conductor,  the  unerring  indicator,  the  little  bell,  com- 
menced rbging,  and  kept  it  up  till  the  battery  was  detached.     Through 
the  means  of  that  same  infallible  detective  every  mile  of  it  is  not  oidy 
proved  before  leaving  th6  factory,  but  as  it  goes  into  coils  on  shipboard. 

The  covering  of  the  Atlantic  cable  with  its  wire  protection  or  armor 
is  performed  by  a  separate  establishment,  and  is  an  entirely  different 
process  from  that  just  described.  There  are  in  hoi  two  of  these 
manufactories,  one  at  Birkenhead,  opposite  Liverpool,  and  the  other  at 
Greenwich,  about  five  miles  from  London. 

The  factory  at  Greenwich  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Thames, 
and  about  a  mile  from  the  hospital  for  superannuated  sailors.  It  is  in 
the  very  centre  of  a  manufacturing  district,  and  in  view  of  the  mam,- 


pearwAce  of  the  building  which  would  give  any  indication  of  the  char- 


»«ii;Kt?.'r''.'''ti>*ff»t-' 


THE   FIRST   ATI-ANTIO   EXPEDITION, 


117 


aeter  of  the  work  performed  within  its  walls,  and  the  only  intimation 
,  which  the  spectator  who  is  not  privileged  to  enter  has  of  it,  is  that  con- 
Teyed  in  the  immense  sign  on  the  roof,  which  informs  him  that  the  sub- 
marine telegraph  cable  is  manufactured  there.  The  whole  establish- 
ment is  surrounded  by  a  wall  eight  or  ten  feet  high,  to  keep  out  that 
spirit  of  inquiry  which,  whether  laudable  or  not  on  the  part  of  the  pub- 
lic, does  not  receive  the  same  amount  of  toleration,  or  the  same  oppor-. 
tunity  in  England  that  it  does  in  the  United  SUtes.  There  is,  in  ad- 
dition to  this  wall,  a  porter  at  the  goto,  who^is  one  of  the  most  polite 
of  Cerberuses,  and  who  guards  it  as  well  against  all  unprivileged  appli- 
cants  as  did  the  Russians  the  fortress  nf  Sebastopol.  The  only  ap- 
proach to  it  is  by  a  gravelled  pathway  which  is  terribly  destructive  to 
shoe-leather,  and  a  journey  over  half  a  dozen  miles  of  which  would  use 
up  the  best  pair  of  boots  ever  made ;  and  yet,  strange  to  say,  these 
gravel  footpaths  are  so  common  about  London,  and  all  over  Eng- 
land, as  to  give  rise  to  the  belief  that  the  interest  of  the  shoemakers 
is  among  the  strongest  in  the  kingdom,  and  that  the  authorities  who 
have  the  charge  of  the  making  and  repairing  of  roads,  must  have  a 
strong  sympathy  with  that  time-honored  and  indispensable  class  of 
tradesmen.  Happening  fortunately  to  be  one  of  the  privileged  few  who 
were  permitted  to  enter  the  factory,  I  visited  it  during  my  stay  in 
London.  On  passing  the  gate,  I  discovered  on  each  side  a  circus, 
thirty  or  forty  feet  in  diameter,  which  had  been  dug  to  the  depth  of 
about  four  feet.  In  both  there  were  eight  coils,  each  containing  from 
twenty  to  three  hundred  miles  of  the  cable,  and  some  three  or  four  of 
which  were  receiving  it  as  it  came  freshly  made  out  of  the  factory. 
The  men  who  were  engaged  in  packing  or  coiling  it  had  their  hands  and 
feet  besmeared  with  tar,  and  the  whole  establishment  was  redolent  of 
the  same  material.  But  no  matter  how  objectionable  the  tar  may  be, 
it  is  an  excellent  preventive  of  rust,  and  absolutely  bdispensable  in 
the  manufacture  of  the  cable. 

The  two  circuses,  or  basins,  as  they  are,  perhaps,  more  property 
called,  are  so  constructed,  that  they  can  be  filled  to  the  top  with  water, 
to  allow  of  thir  complete  submersion  of  the  cable. 

The  machinery  in  the  cable  factory  is  very  simple,  and  although 
at  the  first  glance  it  appears  rather  intricate  and  complicated,  a 
few  minutes'  inspection  makes  it  all  perfectly  plain.  The  first  process 
is  the  serving  or  covering  of  the  gutta  percha  insulation  with  hemp 
Bteeped  in  a  composition  of  tar  and  pitch,  after  which  it  receives 
the  external  protection  or  wire  armor.  The  preparation  of  the  hemp 
Md  the  winding  of  it  on  bobbins  engage  the  services  of  a  doien  boys, 


(I     i 


'1 


tti 


if 


"wtro  'WOTic  from  morning  to  night,  and  from  Monday  to  Saturday, 


^-'i.(pi;jjfen'',ii'^:Sij 


i,<i 


n    • 


I 


118 


THB  OOEAN  TXLEOBAPH. 


with  all  the  Bteadiness  and  regularity  of  their  older  fellow  operatireei 
HundreoU  of  mile*  of  this  hemp  pMses  through  their  hands  erery  week, 
and  althongh  it  la  the  least  important  of  the  different  materials  of"^ 
which  the  cable  is  composed,  still  it  could  not  weU  be  done  without.' 
The  serving  of  the  hemp  on  the  core  is  accomplished  by  means  of  S  revolr- 
ing  machine,  on' the  periphery  of  which  are  plaoed  seven  or  eight  of  these 
bobbins,  the  core  of  the  cable  passing  directly  and  perpendioularfy  trough 
the  centre.     As  ^is  machine  revolves,  the  bobbins  also  revolve  on  their 
own  axes,  paying  out  the  hemp,  which  is  thus  served  on  the  core.     The 
process  can  perhaps  be  more  simply  illustrated  by  Uking  two  flat  cirou 
lar  pieces  of  wood  of  the  same  sise,  say  about  three  feet  in  diameter, 
and  each  having  »  hole  in  the  centre.     Let  these  be  joined  by  three  or 
four  upright  ban  of  wood  or  iron  set  at  equal  distances  apart,  aU  placed 
within  about  an  inch  of  the  periphery.     This  dom,  the  next  thing  is  to 
get  the  requisite  number  of  spools,  each  spool  representing  a'bobbb, 
seven  being  sufficient  for  the  purpose,  and  to  festen  them  on  axes  to  the 
lower  one  of  the  two  circular  pieces  of  x^od.     The  machine  is  now  fin- 
ished and  m  working  order.  'Through,  the  central  holes  ran  a  small  rope, 
and  wind  upon  each  one  of  the  spools  enough  twine  to  illustrate  the 
process.     The  toMfibme  having  been  set  on  a  pivot  must  now  be  put  in 
motion,  the  ehd8  of  the  twine  joined  to  the  rope  about  an  inch  above  the 
top  of  the -spools,  and  the  rope  itself  drawn  slowly  through  the  cen- 
tral holes.    Then,  as  the  machine  revolves  and  the  rope  is  drawn  up- 
ward, the  spools  will  also  revolve,  paying  the  twine  out  and  serving  it 
on  the  rope.     Here  you  have  a  tolerably  fair  illustration  of  the  manner 
in  which  not  only  the  gutta  percha  is  covered  with  the  hemp,  but  in 
which  the  last  or  wire  protection  is  laid  on.     The  velocity-with  which 
these  machines  revolve  is  somewhat  calculated  to  startle  nervous  people 
on  a  first  visit  to  the  factory,  and  should  some  of  the  bobbins  happen  by 
any  chance  to  fly  off  while  they  are  in  motion,  they  would  makV  wild' 
work  with  any  thing  .^th  which  they  might  kappen  to  come  in  oontact 
But  fortunate  ly  they  are  so  well  secured  that  accidents  of  the  kind  seldom 
or  never  occur.     While  the  cable  is  being  paid  out  from  the  machine  in 
Its  finished  state,  it  passes  over  several  smaU  wheels  atad  through  yats  of 
tor,  as  it  M  dr»wn  out  by  the  men  who  are  engaged  in  ooiling  it  in  the 
basjns.     Five  of  the  wiw-eovoring  machines  were  in  operation  at  the 
time  of  oui;  visit,  and  these  gave  about  twelve  macs  as  the  ajwrente  of 
iaeir  day's  work,  -oo   e 

THK  PAYWO-OUT  MACHINEBT. 
^'"^!i'*°S!!?.T^'°^  ^"PBtop  on  the  Agamemnon  is  a  duplicate  of 


^l»t^^«**»^«#t»rt,^nr,^«raipi6T^oBew^ 


*•' 


mmgi 


,  >!'■'•'■  ^'tnrm-'i^m 


It" 


-  ^i^ 


THE  FiBgT  xru^ma  uxptowioK. 


lid 


both.  In  addition  to  the 
wuidin^in  and  paying-oat 
part  of  it,  there  was  an  en- 
gine of  twenty  horse  pow« 
er,  which  wag  always  to  be 
kept  in  readiness  should  it 
be  found  neeessary  to  use 
it  in  taking  up  the  cable, 
an  operation  which  had  al- 
ways failed. 

This  portion  of  thema- 
oMnery  was  made  the  sub- 
ject of  severe  criticism, 
and  it  was  asserted,  in  ad- 
vaaoe  of  its  trial,  that  it 
was  too  heavy  and  too 
powerful  for  the  work  for  ^ 
wfaieh  it  was  constructed.     S 

The  machine  was  com-  i 
posed  of  four  Y  sheare  * 
wheels,  which  are  indicat-  I 
ed  in  the  following  engrar*  fl 
■  ing  by  the  letters  a  a  a  a.      i 

The  cable  passes  over  g 
these  in  the  manner  exhib- 
ited in  the  engraving  first 
.^tering  the  groove  or 
sheave  in  the  seoon  '  sheave 
wheel,  passing  over  and 
under  it.  It  then  passes 
over  the^  first  sheave  wheel, 
and  taking  a  turn  over  the 
greater  part  of  its  periphe- 
ry, is  carried  to  the  fourth, 
from  which  it  is  delivered 
to  the  third,  passing  finally 
from  that  to  the  sheave 
wheel  at  the  stern,  and 
over  that  agaiif  into  the 
ocean. 

The     brake     wheel^ 
l^hioli  ire  sEdwh  "by    tfie"" 


Tn 


■\4^''^: 


".;■.« 


.1  n 

■      ■  1 


i 


1 


\ 


120 


THB  OOEAN  TELEGEAPn. 


in 
If  'i^^ 


151; 


letter  i,  are  turned  by  a 
pinion,  as  in  the  winding-in 
machine,  and  revolve  with 
a  velocity  proportioned  to 
the    size    of    the    Kheave 
wheels,   each  of    which  is 
five  fefct  in  diameter.     T^he 
brake    wheels    are    acted 
upon   by  wooden    blocks, 
screwed   together   as  rep- 
resented in    the  '  Friction 
Braktt,  and  when  compress* 
ed,  act  upon  the  lever  e, 
which    is   connected  with 
the  indicator  d.     This  in- 
dicator shows  the  strain  on 
the  cable. 

The  brake  is  worked  by 
moans  of  the  handle  e,  be- 
side which  there  was  al- 
ways a  man  stationed  to 
work  it  when  required.  The 
indicator  is  similar  to  a 
patent  spring  scale,  and  /, 
/,  is  simply  a  line  and 
weight  to  keep  it  from 
being  pulled  out  of  its 
plaee  by  the  action  of  the 
lever. 


THE  MACHINERY  FOR  WLVDINQ  ri^. 

Although  it  was  hoped  that  there  would  be  no  occasion  for  the  use  of 
this  machine,  yet  it  would  have  been  a  culpabte  want  of  foresight  to  have 
neglected  providing  one  for  each  of  t>  cable  ships.  One  of  the  most 
serious  difficulties  which  was  to  be  apprehended  in  the  work  of  paying  out 
was  that  which  might  arise  from  th^kinking  of  the  cable.  But  the  ease 
with  which  it  was  coUed  on  the  Niagara— frequently  at  the  rate  of  three/ 
miles  an  hour,  and  on  one  occasion  at  the  rate  of  five  miles— was  cer-/ 
tainly  most  auspicious  and  promising  for  the  success  of  the  final  opera 
-tiea.  -fberemra  TRT  strain,  no  tendii^  ^IMrtod  iriiffi  the  ex^OT 


■iVifj 


( 


THE  FIE8T  ATLANTIC  EXPEDITION. 


121 


uon 
wojil 

^  a  8p 


tion  of  a  slight  twist  vhioh. 
wojild  be  perceptible  even  on 
thread  when  unwound  from 
a  spool,  there  was  nothing 
to  justify  the  fear  that  there 
would  be  any  obstacle  in  the 
way  of  the  successful  accom- 
plishment of  the  work  from 
such  a  cause.  Still,  as  has 
been  said,  it  would  have  been 
culpable  in  the  engineers  to 
have  neglected  to  make  pro- 
vision for  such  an  emergency. 
The  winding-machine,  al- 
though it  added  considerably 
to  the  weight  of  the  maohiq- 
ery  for  paying  out,  was,  ac- 
cording to  the  opinion  of  the 
engineers  connected  with  the 
enterprise,  as  compact  and  as 
light  as  it  could  possibly  be, 
considering  the  work  which 
it  had  to  perform.  The  fol- 
lowing representation  gives 
a  correct  view  of  it,  and  with 
the  explanations  of  the  vari- 
ous parts,  will  render  it 
clearer  to  the  popular  un- 
derstanding than  any  unaid- 
ed verbal  description. 

A  A  are  two  grooved 
drums,  sheaves  about  seven 
feet  in  diameter,  having  five 
grooves  on  the  periphery  of 
each.  The  cable  is  wound 
round  eaoh  drum  five  times, 
passing  from  one  to  the  oth- 
er in  succession  till  all  the 
grooves  are  filled,  when  each 
revolution  of  both  wheels 
jays  it  out  to  the  hands  of  the  men  who  stand  ready  to  coil  it  as  it  is  taken^ 
up  from  the  ocean.    The  object  of  passing  it  round  these  drums  sd  ofteD 


f  f 


.     \ 
I     i 


\       I 


1-   II 


■  '  ti 
I  i  fi 


I  f: 


^9^  TUB  OCEAN.  TBXBO)RAPH.       , 

IS  to  render  it  easier  for  the  engineer  to  check  it  by  tho  application  of 
the  brake,  which  is  .ndicated  by  letter  E,  andwWoh  is  presented  morein 
another  ongravkig.  The  winding-machine  is  bo  oonfltructed  that  it  can 
boinade  to  perform  <^e  work  of  the  paying-rut  machine  should  it  be 
foi&d  necessary  to  employ  it  in  that  way.     In  the  event  of  its  being 


tWTION  OW  THl  Mimox  BBAKa 

used  for  such  a  purpose  the  brake  becomes  absolutely  necessary  to  re- 
stram  the  speed  of  the  cable  in  going  out  over  the  stem.  The  grooves 
are  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  cable  from  becoming  entangled,  or 
rather  from  crowding  and  cutting  the  outer  wire,  which  would  be  very 
Lable  to  occur  were  tl^e  periphery  of  the  drum  perfectly  flat.     The  five 

8how.uig  the  groove  in  which  the  deep  sea  line  rests,  and  the  letter  b  that 
in  which  is  represented  the  shore  cable,  the  end  sections  of  both  deep  sea 
hTfi    t  ^     u-  w  .  ^"^^  represented  by  proportionately  sized  circles, 

^oLtr  wt;f oiir '' '-'' ' '"' '' '  ^-^-  -''''  --^  ^'y 

On  the  same  shafts  as  the  groove  dnuns  of 

the  wii^ding-in  machine  are  the  spur  wheels  C  C 

m  gear  with  the  pinion  placed  between  them  and 

which  is  indicated  by  D.      The  irfiaft  on  which 


*---^ 


THE  FIB8T  ATLAHTIO  EXPEDmON, 


•tops  the  Urge  wheels,  and  by  which  of 
course  the  whole  maohine  is  checked  when 
sufficient  pressure  is  employed.  There 
are  two  brakes,  one  of  whiohris  imme- 
diately behind  the  other,  and  cannot, 
therefore,  be  seen.  The  whole  weight  of 
the  winding-in  maohine  is  about  five 
tons. 

The  grooved  wheels,  it  was  calculated, 
would  ^unjrith  a  velocity  of  ten  revolu- 
tions to  the  minute,  and  at  this  «peed 
would  wind  up  the  cable  over  the  wheel 
at  the  ^om  at  the  rate  of  three  miles  an 
hour.  The  paying  out  is  regulated  in 
the  same  way — that  is,  for  %very  three 
miles  of  the  cable  passed  over  these 
grooved  wheels  to  the  wheel  at  the 
stern  and-  from  it  down  into  the  ocean, 
each  of  the  grooved'  wheels  would  make 
ten  revolutions  a  minute.  In  the 
winding  up  of  the  cable,  which  is  a  much 
slower  process  than  the  paying  out,  on  ac- 
count of  the  greater  strain  produced  by 
the  operation,  the  length  of  cable  taken 
in  would  not  exceed  one  mile  and  a 
half  an  hour,  and  the  revolutions  would  be 
reduced,  therefore,  to  five  per  minute. 

On  the  same  shaft  with  the  brnkes 
is  represented  the  third  large  spur  wheel 
I,  which  is  worked  by  a  pinion  driven  by 
the  engine. 

STOWAGE  OF  TBI  QOBA  ON  THK  yUOARA. 

Th»  following  engraving  is  designed 
to  show  the  stowage  of  the  coib  on 
board  the  Niagara. 

The  paying-ont  tmd  inndiog-in  ma- 
chinery is  ahova  m  a  small  scale  by 
letter  a,  and  ihe  ooils  by  the  numbers 
1,  2,  8,  4,  6,  and  6,  whidi  also  present 
which  —feey  were,  to 
be   paid    out,   No.    1     being    the    ten 


m 


128 


V 


/ 


1  * 


','Ki"^^teiii'--:. 


r 


IF 


^**  '    th4  ocean  teueoraph. 

miles  of  the  shore  cable.  Letter  /  is  a  similar  shei^vo  #he«l  to  that 
oter  the  stern,  and  was  to  be  used  when  it  became  necessary  in  oon»- 
quehce  of  a  gale,  to  remove  the  cable  to  the  bow,  so  *  as  to  enable  the 
vessel  to  steam  up  against  the  wind.'as  -it  would  inevitobly  have  been 
broken  otherwise. 

The  length  of  miles  in  the  different  coils  on  board  the  Niagara, 
^     the  remainder  being  on  board  the  Agamemnon,  is  presented  in  the  fol- 
lowing tables : 

Coil  No.  1— Shore  cable,  .         .    -     .  .    'lO*        , 

No.  2 — Deep  aes  cable,  .         .       130 

N/>.  8  do.       do.  .  ...  294 

No.  *  do.       do.  ^         .  I8U 

.  No.  6  Jo.       do.  ....'.  352 

Wo.  o  do.       do.  .        .  .      297 

^     -  Total,       .'.,..        .       "i^ 

Thtf  shore  and  deep  sea  cables  were  to  be  passed  to  the  paying-out 
machinery  over  a  series  of  small-sized  drums,  placed  at  regular  inter-  . 
vals  between  the  coil  from  which  it  was  taken  and  the  machine. 

THE  CABLE  GUARDS. 
Among  the  taosf  important  parts  of  the  machinery  which  was  required 
m  the  laymg  of  the  cable,  were  the  guards  for  the  propellers  of  the  Aga- 
memnon and  Uiagara,  and  without  which  its  successful  accompUshment 
was  considered  doubtful,  these  being  absolutely  necessary  to  prevent  the 
fouling  of  the  submarine  cable  in  the  event  of  the  ship  being  obliged  to 
back  out  of  the  way  of  icebergs,  0/  from  other  causea     It  was  a  point  to 
which  the  greatest  attention  was  very  properly  given,  as  the  break- 
mg  of  the  cable,  after  several  hundred  miles  of  it  had  been  paid  out 
would  postpone    the    couple- 
tion  of  the  enterprise   for  a 
year,  in  addition  to  the  great 
pecuniary  loss  by  which  such 
a  disaster  would  btf'attended. 
It  was  proposed  to  avoid  such 

a  disaster  by  surrounding  the  ^^^^^mfi  I  ^^^^  ^LMH         i 
screw    with    a    cage,   which  ^^^^  ^ 

would  effeotually  prevent  the  ^^^^^^^i^**"*' 
cable    from    cOming  in  con- 
tact j  but  as  the  two  vessels 
were  differently  constructrl, 

and  as  it  would  be  absolute-      ..  —  

ly  necessary  to  place  the  Ni._^ZZZT  """*"  *"°'""'  """  ""^'^ 


i'i 


rSMw^* 


--f[1( 


THE   riBBT   ATLANTIC   EXPEDITION. 


125 


bo  that 

oonse- 

ble  the 

e  been 


lagara, 
ho  fol- 


ig-oat 
inter- 


uired 
Aga- 
ment 
it  the 
ed  to 
in'tto 
reak' 
out, 


f 


»fm^ 


tha  cage  could  bo  fastened  to  hor,  it  waa  decided  to  abandou  it  in  her 
case,  and  to  adopt  a  guard  in  its  stead.  The.cag*;  wa.s,  tliereforo,  only 
used  on  the  Agamemnon,  whioli  wtia  dockod  for  Uio  jmrposc.  From  the 
gpbjoinod  drawings  the  reader  will  perceive  ut  once  the  diflercncc 
between  the  two  contrivances.  -,    . 

In  tbh  drawing  it  will  bo  aoen  that  there  are  two  guards  of  iron 
which  >wc6p  round  the  Hterii  of  the  Niagara,  in  the  form  of  a  Homi-circlo 
or  horseshoe,  enclosing  both  the  propeller  and  the  rudder,  the  lowei 
being  about  a  foot  above  the  water  line,  and  the  other  at  an  elevation; 
of  some  seven  or  eight  feet  from  it.  As  the  ship  drew  throe  or 
four  feet  more  when  loaded  with  the  cable,  the  lower  guard  would,  of 
course,  bo  submerged  to  a  corresponding  depth,  forming  a  still  better 
protection  when  \n  the  process  of  backing.  This  guard  was  placed  aliout 
thre^  feet  from  the  flange  qf  the  screw,  and  between  eleven  and  twelve 
from  the  side  of  the  rudder  post,  so  that  its  full  diameter  at  this  point 
was  from  twenty-two  to  twenty-four  feet.  The  length  of  the  perpendic- 
ular bars  varied  from  seven  to  fourteen  feet,  and  the  whole  presented 
so  small  a  surface  to  the  action  of  the  water,  and  was  so  well  fastened 
with  bolts  and  screws,  that  it  was  expected  to  resist  all  the  pressure 
to  which  it  might  be  subjected,  either  from  the  inside  or  outside. 

In  the  case- -of  the  Agamemnon,  to  which  the  cage  was  applied, 
and  of  the  stern  of  which  the  following  is  a  correct  drawuig,  tl  e  differ^' 
ence  will  at  once  be  seen  when  compared  with  the  Niaga  a.  The 
counter  or  under  rounding  of  the  stern  is  muclii^i-ep  to  the  ^  .ter  mark 
than  that  of  the  Niagara,  and  to  this  cause  is  owing  the  difiference  in  the 
open  spi^o  which  is  so  apparent  in  a  comparison  of  the  sterns  of  both 
shipsi 

The  cable  protector. presented 
in  this  drawing  is,  literally  speak- 
ing, a  cage  made  of  bans  ^i  iron 
placed  almost  at  right  angles 
with  oaeh  other,  and  inside  of 
which  the  screw  is  observed.  It 
descends  below  the  watermark  ; 
the  perpendicular  bars,  of  which 
there  are  two  on  each  side,  being 
screwed  to  the  counter  and  the 
keel  of  the  ship,  not  more  than 
three  or  four  feet  of,  the  whole 
cage  being  visible  above  the  sur- 
face of  the  water.     The  horhsoa^ 


TBS  tTl>5  AKS  irBIUBISI  CABLI  pViiSD  Or  TU 


AOAMUUrON. 


.  tal  bare  are  rounded  out  so  afi  to 


?■■■  I 


-ft' 


f' 


•<^> 


■/y 


.  ) 


Cf^' 


<^# 


^';M\ 


*- 


126 


<%s 


■rfbs  ocf 


JEAN  TELBOBAPH. 


the  guard  and  the  cage  were  the  best  that  could  be  deviHPd  a^f   7 
and  proved  efficient  for  the  purpose  the,  we^ltlntr  ^bf  ;^^^^^ 

PASSAGE  TO  VALENTU  BAY,  AND  TRIAL  OP  jlfe  MACHINERT. 

'^he  day  of  the  departure  of  the  ToIeffranK''  finno^,-,-  f        r,    ^ 
was  not  a«  auspicious  as  could  hare  been  de^  K  ^'*' 

the  procession  underwent  a  comnlete  oh«it<m  fi,-  *i,     xt-  . 

houra  t..  the  lead,  leaving  the^^tr  b    i n^^^X:  Zn^ 
hour  after  we  had  left  the  Cove  of   Co'ik  we  lo«t  ^1      f  !? 
trance,  behind  the  bojd  headlands  which  ^arrnet  Z  l^o,     f  Z 
Imh  coast;  and  eariy  the  following  morninl  we  had  pasti  Cat  P. 
the  most  southern  point  of  the  island     Th!  T       ,         ^      ^"' 
Leopard  were  the  c^ly  two  .el      nti  J    ho  7  "   "'   *'* 

disappeared  during  the  night  We  LltLy  Agamemnon  having 
and  at  eleven  o'clo'c k  we^^off  thrSkeCt^^'  uTT  7^""^' 
out  a  mile  or  so  from^e  mainland  Llfhir^^tb^^lt'*  '""' 
miles  from  Dingle  bay.     In  a  little^  tK  .         ^      '"  """^ 

entrance,  and  ^fore  Ln"  g  in  ma  JSlt^l  T  "  ""^  *'  '^^ 
of  discarded  cable,  which  had  beeTput  «I3"      .    "^1  *""  """^ 
the  Cove  for  the  ^urpos.     liZZJ^^J:;^:^^  .f^  '" 
.ohinery  on  the  Agamemnon  had  been  iJT^J"}   tf  *  '  "*• 

what'defective,  served  almost  asVeU  ^IJU^t  Jt'.    ^""^'"""*'- 
nm..A      mi        I.  """"»>■  as  weu  as  that  which  had  not  vet  lw«.n 

used.     The  cable  was  p.-«sod  round  the  sheave  wheel,  of  tL  „    • 


THE   FIB8T   ATLANTID   EXPEDITION. 


127 


anchor  having  been  fastened,  was  dropped  into  the  water,  but  the  weight 
was  not  heavy  enough  to  produce  the  desired Tesult.  Tho  wheals  of  the 
ponderous  machinery  refused  to  move,  and  the  anciior,  after  swinging  to 
and  fro  from  the  stern  for  a  few  moments,  dropped  shiggislily  into  the 
water,  but  without  efiect.  The  shafts  Were  oiled,  and  about  forty  men 
were  put  to  woijt  to  pull  the  cable  over  the  wheels  by  main  strength, 
and  pay  it  out"until  such  time  as  there  should  bo  enough  of  it  over  the 
stern  to  bring  the  strain  necessary  to  set  them  in  motion,  without  the  aid 
of  any  other  force  than  that  exercised  by  the  weight  and  strain  ef  the 
oafcle  itself.  It  was  .a  slow  and  tedious  process,  and  to  some  who  were 
impatient  of  delay,  it  was  doubtless  a  most  vexatious  one.  The  first  half 
hour  passed,  and  still  the  men  continued  hauling  it  over  the  sheaves  and 
j^Msing  it  overboard,  without  effecting  the  slightest  change,  but  in  less 
than  five  minutes  the  wheels  began  to  move,  slowly  at  first,  and  then 
tHthincreased  speed,  till  the  rate  of  paying  out  reached  from  two  to  three 
,  jnilea  jan  hour.  All  this  time  there  was  no  apparent  tendency  to  kink, 
and.  tlullce  was  jtow  an  opportunity  after  all  the  trouble,  and  all  the  pull- 
ing and  (gagging,  to  test  the  machinery  in  a  satisfactory  manner.  There 
was  no  oificulty  about  paying  out,  but  there  was  one  most  essential  point 
to  be  settled  before  its  success  could  be  finally  established.  It  was 
necessary  to  try  the  action  of  the  brakes,  and  to  do  that  the  cable  would 
be  most  probably  subjected  to  a  strain  which  it  might  be  found  too  weak 
to  resist.  It  was,  however,  valueless  for  any  other  purpose,  and  so  it 
mattered  little  what  strain  it  might  be  subjected  to.  So  the  brakes 
were  pat  on,  and  the  wheels  over  which  it  passed  having  been  stopped 
in  this  way,  it  broke  in  a  very  few  minutes.  The  object  of  the  brakes, 
as  has  been  explained,  is  to  stop  the  cable  when  a  kink  takes  place, 
or  when  any  defect  is  discovered  before  it  passes  over  the  wheel,  bo 
that  it  may  be  repaired  before  it  descends  into  the  water. 

A.  second  experiment  was  tried  and  with  the  same  result,  and  a  third 
en4ed  in  the  sAme  manner.  The  Niagara  now  proceeded  on  her  way  into 
Valeutia  Bay,  which  is  three  or  four  miles  from  the  entrance  of  Dinglo 
Bay.  While  on  our  passage  in  we  had  a  magnificent  view  of  this  part 
of  the  coast,  and  a  fine  opportunity  of  judging  of  its  scenery.  The 
County  of  Kerry  is  one  of  the  most  southern  counties  of  Ireland,  and 
its  whole  lino  of  coast  is  remarkable  for  its  rugged  character,  and  for  the 
deep  indentations  which  the  action  of  the  sea,  from  age  to  age,  has  made 
upon  it.  Huge  mountains  rise  up  on  almost  every  side,  and  gr^at 
masses  of  rook,  in  a  thousand  fantastic  shapes,  stand  out  miles  from  the 
land,  terrible  as  those  of  whieh  the  Qreek  mariners  stood  in  such  awe, 
and  of  whioh  anoh  iAlfiOJil  hprrcr  have  been  handed  down  to  us. Two 


J 


s^ 


128 


THE  OCEAN  TELEGRAPH. 


I 


St!, 

Ik 

m 


-J 


immense  rocks,  which  look  as  if  they  had  been  flung  from  the  huge 
mountai*  that  guards  the  left  side  of  the  entrance  of  Dingle  Bay,  stand 
there   like  grim   and   weather-beaten  sentmels.      On   the  .other  side 
18  a  long  mountain  range,  the  face  of  which,  looking  seaward,  is  worn 
with  deep  fissures,  while  ita  base  is  hollowed  out  at  irregular  intervals 
by  caves,  some  of  which  extend,  as  we  were  told,  several  hundred 
feet  into  the  very  heart  of  the  mountains.     The  bay  is  between  two 
and  three  hundred  fathoms  deep,  but  it  is  so  open  to  the  sea,  and 
the  anchorage  is  so  bad,  that  it  is  one  of  the  worst  p^s  which  a  vessel 
could  select  in  a  storm.     The  waves  break  with  terrible  force  on  the 
rooks,  throwing  their  spray  far  up  the  bleak  mountain  sides,  and  the 
wind  sweeps  with  relentless  fury  on  the  ill-fated  vessel  that  may  be 
caught  hero  on  a  lee  shore.     But  Valentia  Bay  is  more  protected,  and 
although  not  safe  in  a  storm,  affords  much  better  anchorage.     The  land 
.     for  miles  into  the  interior   i  very  rocky  and  barren,  and  affords  a  poor 
pasturage  for  the  diminuti  e  but  hardy  race  of  cattle  for  which  the 
•     County  of  Kerry  is  famous.     It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  distinguish  the 
huts  of  the  peasantry  on  the  great  hillsides;  but  here'and  there  can  be  seen 
the  rums  of  churches,  which  were  built  by  pious  Christians  of  the  fifth 
and  sixth   centuries,  and  whose  walls  have  lon»  sbce  crumbled  into 
decay.     This  Island  of  Valentia  suffered  fearfully  during  the  famine  in 
Ireland  and  hundreds  died  of  starvation  on  the  roadside  or  in  the  mis- 
erable dwellings,  some  of  which  still  remain,  and  in  which  their  bodies 
were  found  many  weeks  after  their  death,  miburied.     Within  the  last 

nlT^?  "/"?  *^'  "'°^^*^°"  '^  '^'  P««P'«  ^'^  considerably  im- 
proved,  but  If  what  I  saw  is  called  improvement,  they  must  have 

!r  7  '^*^'"t  ,"***«  ^fo'«  «»«  process  of  amelioration  com- 
men^d.  Some  of  them  live  at  present  by  fishing,  some  by  cultivating 
Uie  ungrateful  soil,  and  some  by  quarrying  slate  from  the  hillsides 
About  thre^  mile,  from  the  head  of  Valentia  Bay  is  the  village  of 
Cahercveen,  and  at  the  same  dUtance  from  where  oar  ship  nowTes  is 
Knightstown,asmalIviUage  of  one  thousand  inhabitants,  called  after 

ad^ates  of  the  Atlantic  Telegraph.  Prom  the  deck  of  our  ship  we 
could  ^e  a  small  sandy  cove,  which  was  selected  as  the  place  for 
the  landing  of  the  shore  end  of  the  cable,  and  a  hundred  yards  from 
which  a  temporary  ^nt  was  erected  for  the  batteries  and  other  tele- 
graph mstrumenta  In  front  of  it  wa.  displayed  an  attempt  at  the  star, 
and  stripes  but  it  was  only  an  attempt,  and  it  would  require  one  of  the 
most  shroWd  guessing  Yankees  that  ever  lived  in  or  came  out  of  Con- 
necticut t^  tell  what  it  wa.  intended  for.    It „  rfphrrd  by 


^ 


.H' 


^ 


■ll 


i     '    i: 


Mi 


t  ^1 


!  !■ 


ri 


<. 


"''•»«r"wK*t,.j*i, ,  «■  ■ 


•.<^'kX  ■ 


^^^i  f^\ 


»^-» 


I'm 

ll 

\'     / 


» 


'ill';' 

■1" 

a 

'ill.  t|| 

'"in 

J 

'' 

1  ''' ;', 

1- 

'  '^^1 

; 

I 

1, 

'Si0$ 

''I'liiii'ivii'' 

J 

■^  ■ 

■   *-r,?V^*,  ■.■ 

:  ■  ■i>':.>j.^,*-_:  ^r. 

♦f.-^..'  i^*r** 

■«v« 


*«> 


V  % 


^J 


THE   FIRST  AliANTIC   KXPEDITIOK.  129 

another,  of  a  more  unmistakable  kind,  however,  and  that  ought  to  bo 
sufficient  to  satisfy  the  most  exacting  pntriot 

Although  it  was  certain  that  we  could  not  take  the  shore  end  of  tlfe 

cable  out,  yet  it  was  concluded  to  employ  our  spare  time  in  trviug 

another  exporiment  with  a  part  of  the  1,250  mile«  of  the  deep  sea'line 

which  made  up  our  half  of  the  Atlantic  telegraph,  and  which  Wifs  free 

from  defects.     The  Willing  Mind,  a  steamer  which  came  round  from 

Cork  an  an  additional  tender  to  the  Advice,  took  the  end  of  this  on 

boata,  and  securing  it  firmly,  started  off  from  the  Niagara  at  a  spt- ed  of 

about  four  miles,  an  hour,  and  when  about  five  or  six  hundred  yards 

from  her  the  brakes  yfere  put  on.     The  little  steamer  tugged  and  pulled 

away,  but  the'wreels  refused  to  turn  while  the  brakes  remained  as  they 

were,  and  after  tugging  and  pulling  for  about  five  minutes  the  cable 

parted,  having  given  way  at  last  to  a  draggipg  force  equal  to  a -weight 

of  three  tons  and  a  half.     This  was  regarded  as  very  satisfactory,  but 

there  is  one  thing  ^vhich  I  think  it  proves— that  the  brakes  could  not  be 

brought  to  bear  upon  the  cable  with  such  an   immense  mass  is  the 

Niagara  hauling  on  it.     The  only  plan  was  to  let  it  run  free,  and  if  a 

kink  should  occur,, to  take  the  chances  rather  than  put  on  the  brakes, 

which  appeared  to  be  certain  destruction. 

We  arrived  and  anchored  in  Valentia  Bay  on  the  evening  of  the 
4th,   but  at  too  late  an  hour   to   commence   operations   other  than 
described.     The  work  of  landing  the  shore  part  of  the  cable  was  deferred 
therefore  until  the  following  morning  at  eight  o'<}lock.     At  the  ap- 
pointed time  every  thing  was  prepared  for  the  work,  the  Willing  Mmd 
.    came  under  our  stem  ready  to  tow  the  heavy  shore  line,  and  in  addition 
to  this  there  were  some  half  dozen  boats  from  the  Susquehanna  and 
Leo|Jard,  with  two  or  three  from  the  Niagara,  all  prepared  to  assist  in 
the    work.      The    engineers,    however,    before    beginning,    at    once 
deeided  on  testing  both  the  shore  cable  and  maohmery,  and  for  that 
pBTiKWe  got  the  WiUmg  Mind  to  tow  out  some  five  or  six  hundred 
yards.     This  preliminary  operation  was  attended  with  such  success  that 
it  WM  determined  to  commence  work  .without  further  delay.     Two  of  • 
the  laoDohesof  the  Ltopard  and  one  from  the  Susquehanna  were  brought 
under  ifae  stem  of  the  Niagara,  and  aliout  a  mile  and  three-quarters  of 
ilw  eable  coiled  upon  them;   then  another  mile  o^-  three-quarters  was 
pot  dn  board  the  Willing  Mind,  and  the  whole  four  towed  by  the  Ad- 
vice, went  off  in  procession  towards  the  point  indicated  as  the  landing 
place  l^  the  American  flag,  already  alluded  to.     On  the  shore  there 
were  a^t  two  thousand  persons,  the  whole  population  of  the  place,  and 
JaggBJEontiibtttiona  from-milcs  aronndy  wMtiag  there  from  aeveu  in  tiie — 
morning  till  seven  in  the  evening  for  the  arrival  of  the  fleet  of  cable 
9  .  - 


!';!»      • 


^ 

"x^:-/:- 


Ir, 

If 


L  J— 


130 


THE  OCEAN   TELEOSAPH. 


.  boats,  whose  progress  they  had  watched  with  so  much  anxiety  and  im- 
patience. It  wJls  fire  o'clock  when  we  started;  .  never  before  waa 
such  a  scene  presented  in  Valentia  Bay,  and  the  poorest  spectator  there, 
though  he  could  not  tell  what  strange  agency  it  was  that  lay  In  th{M: 
cable,  understood  what  it  was  intended  to  efiFect,  aod  his  face  beamed 
with  joy  as  he  heard  his  comrade^  sjiy  that  it  brought  tl'om  nearer  to 
that  great  land  that  had  so  generously  stretched  out  the  helping  hand 
to  their  starving  countrymen,  and  that  had  given  a,  shelter  and  a  home 
to  those  who  had  found  neither  the  one  nor  the  other  in  the  land  of  tljeir- 
birth.  It  was  a  happy  day  for  them,  and  when  later  in  the  evenbg  that 
cable  was  landed,  and  it  was  proposed  to  give  three  cheers  for  America, 
there  were  none  there  who  responded  with  more  sincerity  and  honest 
enthusiasm  than  the  poor  peasantry.  , 

It  took  about  two  hours  to  land  the  cable,  put  the  shallowness  of,  the 
water  prevented  the  A.d vice  fiom  running  close  to  the  shore.     T&ej)a8- 
sengers,  therefore,  consisting  of  a  number  of  friends  pt  "the  enterprise, 
got  into  one  of  the  small  boats,  and  rowed  in  as  fiear  as  they  ooujd 
but  still  not  near  enough  for  us  to  get  ashore  without  wettyig  our  feet 
We  were  wJt  long  left  in  doubt,  however,  as  to  what  we  should  do,  for  we 
had  hardly  run  our  boat  aground  before  there  was  a  whole  crowd  of  men 
in  the  water,  regardless  of  wet  clothes,  proflFering  their  assistance,  and 
oflFering  as  many  backs  as  there  were  passengers  in  the  boat.     It  was 
one  of  the  incidents  of  the"  great  scene  Which  was  being  enacted,  and 
occasioned  considerable  merriment  among  the  bystanders.     Here  a  little 
fellow  presented  himself  to  a  gentleman  of  the  most  portly  dimensions, 
and  insisted  upon  hia  ability  to  take  him  ashore.     It  was  no  use,  however, 
for  hf  d  he  the  strength  of  Atlas  he  could  not  have  persuaded  the  passen- 
ger that  he  was  able  to  carry  him,  and  so  he  had  to  call  another  to  his 
help,  when  both  of  them  succeeded  in  landing  him  safely,  to  his  great 
satisfaction  and  relief.     These  two  performed  the  job  so  well,  that  the 
rest  of  the  passengers  at  once  entered  into  a  contract  with  them,  and 
were  landed  high  and  dry  upon  the  beach.     About  half  an  hour  after  we 
got  ashore  the  staiall  fleet  <^  cable  boats  were  observed  rapidly  approadi- 
ing,  headed  by  one  bearing  the  united  unions  of  Englandjuid  the  States 
—that  is,  the  Union  Jack  and  the  Stars  alone  on  a  b)drground,  while 
the  words  "Atlantic  Telegraph  "  wete  inscribed  upon  it  in  large  letters. 
Among  those  on  shore  were  the  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland,  (L<Mrd 
Morpeth,  of  anti-slavery  proclivities,)  Lord  Hillsborough,  the  Knight  of 
Kerry,  and  nearly  all  the  gentlemen  connected  with  the  enterprise. 
But  here  comes  the  cable  in  the  hands  of  the  crew  of  the  Niagara's  boat, 
who  rush  up  the  beach  with  it  dripping  with  water,  for  in  tibeir  haste  to 
"""■"Tt    ashbre    ihey  Ibave  llo~wade   knee   deep.     Mr.  Gynu  W.~ 


-eat J 


1 


-£', 


:j'. 


.  ». 


'f^-^'^fif 


>'"r«r«r"ff'(« 


M^s^^-f^y, 


it?^ 


THE   FIRST   ATLANTIC    KXl'tDlTIoN. 


131 


Field    lb   there  beside  Lord  >Morpeth.  or,  as  he  is   now  called,  Lord^ 

Carhsle,  and  as  Captain  Pennock  .-omes  up  iu  advance   of  his  men 

with  the  cable  he  intro(|u<;ea  him.     There  is'  no'  time  lor  the  passage  of 


formalities,  and  the  introduction  and 


them 


-iiig  are  therefore  free  from 


■>v*' 


"I  am  most  happy  to  8C& you,  Captain,"  sajs  Lord  Morpeth;  and 
the  Captain  most  appropriately  replies  ; 
'       "  This,  sir,  is  the  betrothal  orEnglaiid  and  America ,  and  I  hope  in 
twenty  days  the  marriage  will  be'conaUmmated."- 

The  crowd  now  press  around,  all  eagerness  to  help  in  pulling  up  the 

cable,  and  when  the  work  is  through,  thoso  who  have  been  fortunate 

ei^ough  to  put  their  hands  to  it  show  the  marks  of  the  tar  to  those  who 

have  failed  in  the  attempt,  as  a  proof  of  their  success.     By  dint  of  pull- 

^ing  and  hauling,  they  get  it  into  the  trench  in  which  it  is  to  be  laid, 

and  take  up  the  end  to  the  top  of  a  little  hill,  where  they  secure  it  by 

rolling  it  around  a  number  of  strong  stakes  driven  fast  into  the  earth, 

and  placed  in  the  form  of  a  circle.     This  is  the  centre  of  the  site 

marked  out  for  a  house,  in  which  the  batteries  and  instruments  are  to 

,,be  placed,  and  which  was  used  as  a  temporary  station  till  a  better  and 

'  more  substantial  one  could  bo  erepted.    When  the  cable  was  placed  here, 

and  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people  had"  somewhat  subsided,  the  rector  of 

the  parish  ttiade  an  appropriate  prayer.  .     .         ■ 

At  the  close  of  the  prayer,  Lord  Carlisle  addressed  the  people  as 
follows  : 

"My  American,  Irish,  an(^  English  friends,  I  feel  at  such  a  moment 
as  this  that  no  language  can,  be  becoming,  except  that  of  prayer  and 
praise.  H*rever,  it  is  always  allowable  to  any  human  lips,  though  ' 
they  hare  not  been  specially  qualified  for  the  office,  to  raise  the  ascrip- 
tion of  '  Glory  to  God  on  earth,  peace,  good-will;  to  men  '  That,  I  be- 
lieve, ia^e  spirit  in  which  this  great  work  has  been  undertaken  ;  and 
it  is  this  reflection  which  ovcdbti^ges  nie  to  feel  the  strongest  hopes  of 
its  final  suocesB.  (Hear,  bear  )  T  believe  the  great  undertaking,  now 
80  happily  begun,  will  accomplish  many  gr?;at  and  noble  purposes  of 
trade,  of  national  policy,  and  of  empire ;  but  there  is  only  one  view  in 
which  J  will  now  present  it  to  those  whom  I  have  the  pleasure  to 
address.  You  al-e  aware — you  must  know,  some  of  y6u,  from  your  own 
experience,  that  many  of  your  dear  friends  and  only  relations  have  left 
their  native  land^tojrcceive  hospitable  shelter  in  America.  (Applause.) 
Well,  then,  I  don't  expect  you  can  all  understand  the  wondrous  mechan- 
ism by  which  this  great  undertaking  is  to  be  carried  on,  but  this  I  think 
yoa  will  all  of  you.  nndergtaodr^^^f  ymt  wish  to  communicate  Bomff^>iee«= 


of  intelligence  straightway  to  your  relations  across  the  wide  world  of 


-i:'. 


'm 


..% 


iH-i^ 


■S-  -.-M^. 


132 


THB  OOEAIT  TEXEOBAFH. 


waters — if  you  wish  to  tell  those  whom  you  .^ow  it  would  interest  in 
their  heart  of  hearts,,  of  a  marriage,  a  birth,  or  a  death  among  you,  this 
little  cord  which  wo  have  piled  up  on  the  shore  will  impart  those  tidings 
quicker  than  the  flash  of  the  lightnings.  (Applause.)  Let  us  now 
hope,  let  us  now  pray,  that  the  hopes  of  those  who  have  set  in  operation 
this  great  design  may  be  rewarded  by  its  entire  success,  and  let  .us  hope 
further  that  this  Atlantic  cable  will,  in  all  future  time,  serve  as  an  em- 
blem of  that  strong  cord  of  love  which,  I  trust,  will  always  unite  the 
British  Islands  and  the  gr^at  continent  of  America,  and  join  with  me 
in  my  fervent  wish  that  the  great  Giver  of  all  good,  who  has  enabled  all 
his  servants  to  discern  so  much  of  the  workings  of  those  mighty  laws  by 
which  he  governs  the  universe,  will  further  this  wonderful  work,  and 
will  further  so  bless  its  operation,  as  to  make  it  serve  the  high  purposes 
of  the  good  of  man  and  his  own  great  glory.  (Hear,  hear.)  And  now, 
my  friends,  as  there  can  be  no  project  or  undertaking  which  ought  not 
to  receive  the  approbation  and  applause  of  the  people,  let  all  join  with 
me  in  giving  three  hearty  cheers." 

Three  cheers  were  given  with  a  will ;  but  it  was  not  enough,  and 
thfey  cheered  and  cheered  until  they  were  obliged  to  give  up  from  ex- 
haustion.    <'  Three  cheers,"  said  Lord  Carlisle,  «  are  not  enough— they 
are  what  they  give  on  common  occasions.     Now,  for  the  success  of  the 
Atlantic  cable,  I  must  have   at  least  one  dozen."     The  crowd  re- 
sponded with  the  full  number,  aqd  then  cheered  the  followi^ : 
"  The  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland." 
"  The  United  States  of  America." 
■    "  Mr.  Cyrus  W.  Field."      .  '    - 

Mr.  Field,  in  reply,  spoke  as  follows:  "Ladies  and  gentlemett— 
words  cannot  express- to  you  the  feelings  within  this  heart.  It  beats 
with  affection  towards  every  man,  woman  and  child  that  hears  me;  and 
if  ever  on  the  other  side  of  the  water  one  of  you  present  yourselves  at 
my  door,  and  say  you  had  a  hand  in  this,  I  promise  you  a  true  Amer- 
ican welcome.  (Cheers.)  '  What  God  hath  joined  together  let  no  man 
put  asunder.' "    (Cheers.) 

And  more  cheers  were  given  for  the  foUow^'ng :  ' 

"  For  the  sailors."  " 

"  For  Yankee  Doodle." 

'"For  the  officers  and  sailors  on  bo^  the  ships  that  ar«  intended  to 
lay  the  cable." 
"The  Queen." 

"  The  President  of  the  United  States." 
"  The  American  Navy." 
Oapt«u  Wawwright,  of  the  Le^ardi^Btafreriiii  fl5nirOT~Bre"^ 


.1 


i-«i 


^^i 


f 


■*rSijj| 


i 


•I  f^^:' 


THE   FIE8T  ATLANTIC    EXPEDinON. 


188 


ftai^t  the  officers  of  the  aqaadron,  and  said'  that  there  vaa  not  a  man 
who  ^old  not  be  ready  to  make  almost  any  sacrifice  to  promote  the  ' 
gaccesa  of  this  undertaking.  ,,■■'' 

This  closed  the  great  oieremony  of  landing  the  firit  Atlantic  anbma- 
rihe  cable,  and  if  we  had  been  as  tncoessfnl  in  taking  it  ashore  at  New- 
foundland, we  certainly  would  hare  had  reason  for  congratulation  and 
rejoicing.  On  our  return  to  the  wardro^  of  the  Ni&gara,  we  had  a 
pleasant  sooial  ^theriilg  of  all  the  officers,  at  which  Lieut.  Boyd 
brought  out  an  immense  cake,  with  which  we  oelebr&ted  the  event 

THE  LAYING  OP  THE  CABLE  FROM  VALENTU  BIT. 

*  THB  rlBST  DAT— ArOrBT  6. 

The  landing  of  the  shore  cable  in  Doulos  Bay  was  succesiBfully  ao- 
oomplished,  as  has  been  stated,  on  the  evening  of  the  6th  of  August,  a 
day  which  will  be  ever  memorable  in  the  minds  of  all  who  were  present 
on  the  occasion.     To  the  people  of  that  part  of  Ireland  it  was  an  event 
of  the  most  absorbing  interest;  and  although  there  were  many  there  to 
whom  the  scientific  character  of  the  work  was  an  inexplicable  mystery, 
it  was,  as  we  have  said,  enough  for  them  to  know  that  it  brpught  them 
nearer  to  that  great  nation  where  myriads  of  thei^  countrymen  had  found 
a  homo,  and  where  by  honest  industry  they  wer^^  enabled  to  obtain  an  in- 
dependent livelihood.    Never  before  had  such  a  mass  of  people  assembled 
on  the  shores  of  that  bay,  and  never  did  people  regard  any  spectacle  with 
deeper  interest.     They  came  from  miles  around — from  their  huts  on 
the  steep  hill  sides  and  the  dark  mountain  passes,  from  the  storied 
scenes  of  Killarney  in  the  interior,  and  the  bleak-iron  bound  coast  for 
which  the  south  as  well  as  the  north  of  Ireland  is  so  celebrated.     It  was 
a  great  day  for  all — ^from  the  Lord  Lieutenant  down  to  the  poorest  man 
who  quarried  slate  for  eight  pence  or  a  shilling  a  day,  on  the  side  of  the 
Ull  that  overlooks  the  harbor  of  Valentia.     From  seven  in  the  morning 
till  seven  in  the  evening  they  awaited  with  impatient  eagerness  the  land- 
ing of  the  cable;  and  when  the  boats  which  bore  it  to  the  beach  were 
within  a  hundred   feet  of   the    place    (^psignated,  they  could  mih 
difficulty  be  restrained  by  the  police  from  rushing  into  the  water  and 
pulling  it  ashore.    People  may  talk  about  the  popular  enthusiasm  which 
is  manifested  at  coronations,  the  visits  of  monarchs,  and  all  that,  but  he 
must  indeed  have  been  a  great  monarch  who  was  received  with  such 
heartfelt  welcome  as  the  crowd  gave  to  that  electric  chain.     The  mo- 
ment the  cable  boats  touched  the  shQre,  the  people,  animated  by  one  im- 
pulse, ran  forward,  and  the  gnardifm'of  the  public  peace,  unable  to 
restrain  their  eagerness,  were  swept  aside  by  the  rush.    A  hundred 
~  hands  seised  the  cable,  and  running  up  the  ele^ted^g^ttncT which  flronts 


■'■i'w*-^'*' 


— pSTWJffMr*-*™    *^'»^ -vic^tf. 


.%A'i, 


ulsix^.  **' 


t  f  6     ^-H 


/ 


[i  ■ 


II   ; 


134 


tub/ OCEAN   TKLEOKAPH. 


the  bay,  landed  it  about  fifty  feet  above  the  water  mark.  Then  followed 
the  .cene  which  has  been  already  described,  a  scene  of  the  wildest  en- 
thusiasm, ui  which  the  nan.e  of  An.erica  was  hailed  with  cheers  that 
made  the  mountains  ring.  They  never  tired  of  cheering,  and  the  man 
who  proposed  "  three  more  for  Yankee  Doodle,"  when  each  voice  wa, 
hoarse  from  the  extraordinary  duty  it  was  calkd  upon  to  perform,  was 
answered  with  a  deafening  hurrah,  that  was  repeated  again  and  again, 
till  the  crowd  could  almost  cheer  no  more  from  sheer  exhaustion 

That  night  there  was  a  grand  ball  at  the  little  village  of  Knights- 
town,  and  the  day  dawn  caught  the  merry-makers  still  engaged  in  their 
f.".t,vitie8.  A  bolifire  of  peat,  piled  up  as  high  as  agood-sfzed  two-story 
house  sent  Us  r,ddy  and  cheerful  light  fur  out  into  the  durknei 
bnghtening  up  the  black  crevioes  in  the  frowning  rocks,  and  throwing  a 
glow  on  the  faces  of  the  light-hearted  peasantry  that  gathered  around  it 
ma  huge  circle.  There  was  a  fiddler  among  them,  and  though  his 
music  wasnotquit^  so  scientific  as  Paganini's,  and  he  would  occasionaUy 
throw  .n  a  few  dubious  notes  of  his  own  by  way  of  improvement  on  the 
composer,  ypt  to  that  crowd  it  was  as  acceptable  a«  the  best  that  culti- 

Tand  "^r\T'^  '''''''"''  '"''  ever  applauded  by  kid-gloved 
hands  at  the  Academy  of  Music.  "  The  wee  sma'  hours  ayont  the 
twal     were  fast  passing  away  when  they  dispersed  to  their   several 

battle  with  the  daylight  before  it  was  subdued.     The  bright  red  glow 

toiiched,  became  paler  and  paler,  till  it  was  lost  ip  the  still  brightef 
hght  of  day  and  before  night,  there  was  nothing  left  but  a  mound  of 
white  smouldering  ashes,  beneath  which  the  fire   gradually  expted 
The  following  morning,  about  four  o'clock,  the  author  was  maZ    t 
way  m  a  small  bojt  from  the  Niagara  up  to  the  scene  of  th;  festi 'tt^ 
of  the  evening  before,  with  his  laat  letter  for  friends  at  hom«  ulT 
onndtHe  little  village  of  Knightstownsoundllf^^^^^^^^^^^ 
of  the  ,nn,  which  m  this  part  of  the  country  rises  Into  the  dignity^  a 

^l:Z>r^'^  "  '-''  ^'^''  ^"^— *  travStuld    , 

object  7th^KL?r-  'r  '"*  ^"^  ^''''  ''''''^'  -■«*'^«  *^« 

ODject  of  the Jriflit,  that  the  innkeeper  was  also  the  postmaster  of  the 

^^d  f^lT  TT'''  ^"  ""^"^^  *"  ^  «*"^«'^''*  P'^t  0"t  by  being 
ZTit  It  1  -f  "^i^"  **  '""'^  *°  "^'^y  ^°" ;  but  when  he  eam^ 
«d  1  W.  ^Z  ^''"^  *^'  ^''^'  ^'  ^^'  '"^  *brown  wide  2n 
?hH  IZIt  ''*^^8*«««-^  t^e  postage  stamps,  were  dro^ 
Jb^ou^htleerevice  jnthe^b^^^  that  ^  likt.^dJL^-^ 


"^ 


r- 


THB  FIB8T   ATLANTIC   EXPEDITION. 


136 


front  of  the  Knightstown  Hotel.  Feeling  considerably  rclievA  tho 
writer  returned  to  the  Niagara,  which  was  to  have  started  at  five  o  clock 
that  morning,  and  which,  when  he  had  cleared  the  harbor  of  Valentia, 
he  saw  standing  out  to  sea  at  the  rate  of  two  miles  an  hout,  with  her 
bow  turned  westward.  The  cable  was  over  her  stem,  and  the  process 
of  paying  out  appeared  to  be  progressing  with  perfect  success ;  when  she 
commenced  suddenly  blowing  off  steam,  and  her  stoppage  soon  after  gave 
evidence  that  there  was  something  wrong  on  board.  In  a  few  minutes 
more  the  cause  was  explained. 

In  paying  out,  the  cable  slipped  off  tho  wheel,  through  the  want  of 
proper  caution  on  the  part  of  one  of  the  men  who  had  charge  of  it  at 
thiB  poin|||was  caught  between  the  wheel  and  the  journal,  and  became 
wedged  so  tight  that  it  was  Impossible  to  extricate   it  in  time.     The 
motion  of  the  vessel  was  arrested  in  a  few  moments,  but  it  was  too  late  ; 
the  strain  was  more  than  the  cable,  strong  aa  it  was,  could  bear,  and  in 
less  than  five  minutes  from  the  time  it  was  caught  in  the  machinery  it 
parted  in  the  wal^r,  leaving  the  loose  part  swinging  over  the  stern.     As 
may  well  be  supposed,  this  was  a  most  trying  time ;  but  as  every  hour 
lost  only  made  the  difficulty  worse,  preparations  were  immediately  made 
for  the  recovery  of  the  broken  end,  which  by  on  the  bottom  at  a  depth 
of  between  thirty  and  forty  fathoms,  and  at  a  distance  of  about  four 
miles  from  the  point  where  it  had  been  landed  the  evening  before  amid 
such  enthusiastic  rejoicings.      Mr.  Woodhouso,  Mr;  Canning,  and  Cap- 
tain Kell,  started  off  the  Niagara;  and  by  the  aid  of  two  paddle-box 
boats  from  the  Leopard,  one  from  the  Susquehanna,  and  the  little '«tcam- 
tug  the  Willing  Mind,  they  accomplished  the  tedious  and  difficult  task 
of  under-running  the  cable  from  the  shore  to  the  place  where  it  had 
parted,  and  where  they  took  up  the  enij  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 
splice.    Unfortunately  the  roughness  of  the  sea  prevented  this,  and  after 
several  ineffectual  attempts  they  wei»  obliged  to  give  it  up  till  the  fol- 
lowbg  day,  when  it  was  hoped  the  elements  would  prove  more  favorable. 
Accordingly  our  ship's  head  was  turned  once  more  towards  Valentia, 
and  in  less  than  an  hour  she  was  anchored  In  the  bay.     That  night  it  was 
arranged  that  the  cable  should  be  again"  underrun  from  the  shore,  and 
spliced  under  the  shelter  of  the  headland  which  protects  the  entrance 
on  the  left  of  the  bay.     ^his  was  to  be  done  as  early  as  possible  on  the 
following  morning.  ^ 

Up  to  this  time  we  had  mot  with  nothing  but  reverses,  and  the 

prospeot,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  di|J,Jiot  appear  very  promisbg.    We  had 

lost  a  day  by  this  aocident,  apd  any  furtAr  delays  might  cause  the 

postponement  oif  the  enterprise  till  the  following  year.    All  felt,  there- 

=^^fore,  iJiat  not  sa  hour  eotfl^be  spared,  and  thafrwerjrSBBufce  shodd  be^ 


V-  I 


I* 


-\ 


136 


THK   f>CEAN   TKLKOBAPH. 


' 


r  "': 


carefll^y  economi.ed  if  we  expected  to  succeed  at  all.  There  were 
n.a.y  anx,ou3  „,inds  on  board, the  Niagara  that  night,  and  r„ya„ 
^qu..ng  ook  wa.  taken  at  the  barometer,  which  had  shown  sZ^iZ 
^t.o„s  of  an  unfavorable  change  ii,  the  weather;  but  about  12  o'cloel 
the  wind  moderated  and  the  barometer  again  rose 

.    nletc^l!f  ?'•"".!!'"  "^  '"  '^""  ""'^  ^''^  '^'  «'<'«»"°  ^^""^"tion  oom- 

^     ™S  it      7  *?'*  *'"'  '^™'^  "'^^^'^  "^"^  »  few  messages  were  trans- 

,      m.tted   through   the  cable.      The  test,  so  far  as  the  continuity  Zl 

.  concerned,  was  a.  perfect  as  could  be  desired,  but  it  must  l>oZrZ 

that  the  current  d.d  not  pass  through  the  whole  wir.,  but  only  thrx,„gh 

and  t:2t  rV"*f  f'^  -^""-''""S  ''  *^«  -^»  of  *fae  «hore  cable 
and  he  spar-deck  co.l  of  tlte  deep  sea  line.  It  is  proper  to  state  here 
that  the  pa^g  out  of  the  shore  cable,  which  is  an  inch  and  a-hatfl 
diameter,  and  weighs  about  eight  tons  to  the  mile,  was  a  rather  dSt 
oporauon.  and  attended  with  considerable  risk.     While  the  deep  «ea 

i^for'nr„n    "  """  °*^"'"''  ""^  ^''^  ^'^  ^^  ''»-»'  ^^e  outer  cover 
pos^ibe  at  the  same  tune  to  have  the  additional  ^ivanta^e  of  „eat 

run  clear  mto  the  sheaves,  but  w«.  constantlT  bulging  mt  somswhere 

onTof  ..    from  runmng  off  altogether.     It  was  through  the  neglect  of 
one  of  these,  as  haa  been  stated,  that  it  reaUy  did  run  off  and    lat  k 

see  the  last  yard  of  it  overboard  and  the  process  of  pavinir  out  thT^^Z 

TJ^iTzrii' ,?  °°°''""''*"°'  "■  p^wC..:^'.^- 

wouid  be  Uttle  or  no  difficulty  experienced  in  its  manipulation  •  that  on 
this  account  partioukrly  there  would  be  no  danger  of  iteCL  off  Z 
Bheav.  and  thouybt  that  the  power  of  the  brSL  c  uldT  J  ^u 

SLdown"we''^"*t^"^'*"^"P«"^*-  HadweitT^ 
!^2  ^^,'  7  ''"  *^"*^'"*  *'"*'  ^  ^'^""d  with  fiiir  weather  Z 
would  be  able  to  nay  out  our  twelve  hund«^  and  fifty  nulee  ZZ^y 

The  Second  Day— Augwt  7.     ^     ,,j 
Thirwaa  k  reality  the  third  day  on  which  the  work  of  lavinir  th« 
«ble  WM  oontinu^i  but  as  the  mere  lading  of  the  sho«  J^r^L  ofU  d 
not  fairly  be  entered  to  the  account  of  paying  it  out,  it  ^^Z^  ^ 


r 


V.J 


THB   F-IEST  ATLANTIO   KXPEDITION. 


187 


r 


perly  be  called  the  second.  It  is,  thoroforo,  in  tLw  order  that  it  ia 
recorded,  and  it  is  for  this  reasou  that  tho  mere  proooss  of  landing  is  not 
included  in  the  regular  minutes  of  tho  expedition,  which  may  bo  said  to 
have  commenced  only  when  the  ship  herself  was  under  way  and  paying 
out  the  cable  over  her  stem.  After  all,  however,  tliin  may  bo  regarded 
as  an  immaterial  point,  although  it  may  be  well  to  state  it  in  this  con- 
nection, if  for  nothing  else  than  the  sake  of  accuracy. 

The  work  was  commenced  about  half-past  five  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, when  the  Willing  Mind,  which  played  such  a  conspicuous  part  in 
nearly  all  the  preliminary  operations  in  and  about  this  place,  proceeded, 
with  a  number  of  workmen  on  board,  to  the  buoy  which  marked  the 
spot  where  the  cable  lay.  She  was  accompanied  by  two  boats  from  the 
Leopard  and  Susquehanna,  each  of  whioh  had  a  strong  force  to  assist  when- 
ever they  might  be  required.  For  three  or  four  hours,  during  which  they 
worked  with  might  and  main,  they  endeavored  to  raise  it,  but  finding  it 
impossible  to  accomplish  their  purpose  within  any  reasonable  time,  they 
concluded  to  nnderrun  it  «Me  more  from  the  shore.  About  an  hour  waa- 
taken  to  do  this,  and  the  only  Ving~\hat  now  remained  to  be  done  was 
to  splice  the  end  on  board  the  Niagara  with  that  which  had  been  recov- 
ered. The  Willing  Mind  started  once  more  for  our  ship,  4«king  one  end 
with  her  to  the  Inwts  of  the  Susquehanna  and  Leopard,  which  were  lying 
under  the  lee  of  the  land,  and  where  the  work  of  splicing  could  be  car-., 
ried  on  with  less  risk  and  greater  despatch.  We  could  see  them  from 
the  deck  of  the  Niagara  working  hard  and  fast,  and  daring  the  two  or 
three  hours  they  were  employed  in  this  way  they  ymte  objects  of  the 
most  eager  curiosity.  The  splicers  were  surrounded  by  a  portion  of  the 
crew  of  both  boats,  tod  were  almost  concealed  from  our  view^  so  that  we 
had  no  chance  of  seemg  what  was  going  on.  At  last,  afler  three  dl 
what  appeared  the  longest  hours,  the  Willing  Mind  and  the  other  boats 
parted  company,  the  latter  returning  to  their  separate  ships.  Thifl  waa 
proof  positive  that  the  cable  had  not  only  been  spliced,  but  that  the 
spliced  portion  had  been  laidT  By  seven  o'clock  the  anchor  wfis  up,  and ; 
we  were  once  more  tinder  way,  paying  oat  as  if  nothing  had  occurred  to 
intermpt  our  progress.  For  the  first  five  or  ten  minutes  tho  machinery 
did  not  ran  as  well  as  ooold  be  wished,  and  a  thumping  sound,  tlla£  ex- 
cited the  most  unpleasant  sensation,  was  made  by  its  passage  over  this 
wheels.  But  the  ear  soon  became  accustomed  to  this,  and  so  long  as  it 
passed  safely  into  the  water  every  one  was  satisfied.  The  coil  from 
whioh  it  was  paid  oat  waa  in  the  forepart  of  the  ship,  within  a  few  feet 
of  the  forecastle,  and  as  the  distance  from  that  to  the  stem  ^as  nearly 
her  whole  length,  a  namber  of  men  were  stationed  at  intervals,  like  sen- 
tinelfl^  iifltw^en- the  two  pointSy  to  aeora>t^«Twyfoot  of  it  r«aobeA^it»^ 


h  y" 


'•'sij^'ttir 


■^ 


w 


.^^  ^t 


f'^i/^l'li 


■■'.  'i 


If  .;!;: 

fii 


fc>'  ''^^^^/w.^-^^  ■?' 


.'<>5^ 


.^ 


138 


THE  OO&AS  TELBOBAPH. 


destination  in  safety.  Every  thing  that  could  be  done  was  done  to  give 
it  a  safe  and  easy  passage,  but  it  stUl  continued  to  thump  away  at  the 
machinery,  and  before  the  last  part  of  it  left  the  ship,  it  created  such  an 
excitement  on  board  that  all  we  had  previously  gone  through  in  that 
line  seemed  trifling  in  comparison.  The  part  where  the  shore  cable  is 
joined  to  the  deep  sea  line  gave  way  as  it  was  passing  over  one  of  the 
wheels,  and  in  a  minute  more  the  broken  portion  would  have  been  out 
over  the  stem,  and  lost  beyond  all  hope  of  recovery,  at  least  in  time  to 
permit  of  the  seasonable  prosecution  of  the  work  that  year:  ' 

.  ^his  was  the  most  critical  moment  of  the  enterprise.    The  provision 
which  was  made  for  such  an  emergency  saved  it,  and  the  admirable 
management  of  the  ship,  by  which  the  strain  was  taken  off  it  during  the 
process  of  splicing,  is  worthy  of  all  praise.     The  captain  had  ordered  a 
strong  hawser,  of  sufficient  length,  to  be  placed  near  the  stern  of  the 
vessel,  where  it  could  be  used  at  any  moment,  and  then  awaited  with  no 
small  degree  of  anxiety  the  time  when  it  should  be  announced  that  they 
were  ready  to  pay  out  that  portion  where  the  two  cables  were  joined. 
At  last  It  was  reached,  and  the  speed  of  the  vessel  having  been  reduced 
to  a  fraction  of  a  mile,  so  that  she  could  only  be  said  to  be  moving 
through  the  water,  it  was  passed  through  the  hands  of  the  mep  as  care- 
fully as  if  It  were  the  most  tender  fabric  in  the  world,  and  had  just  gone 
over  one  of  the  wheels,  when  it  was  observed  giving  way  at  the  joint 
The  men  m  charge  were  at  once  on  the  alert,  and  in  a  moment  had  it 
ftrftly  secured  to  the  hawser.     Mr.  Everett,  the  chief  engineer  of  the 
ship,  seemed  ubiquitous,  and  rendered  most  efficient  service  at  this  part 
of  the  enterprise.     With  a  coolness  and  self-possession  desemng  of  all 
pra.se,  ho  observed  every  thing  that  was  going  on  around  him,  and  was 
ready  for  every  emergency.     His  conduct  on  thia  occasion  pointed  him 
out  as  the  proper  man  to.  take  charge  of  the  cable  on  the  next  expedi- 
tion^  and  Mi-.  Field  never  showed  his  foresight  and  judgment  to  better 
advantage  than  when  he  mentioned  Mr.  Everett  to  the  Telegraph  Com- 
pany as  the  engineer  who  should  construct  the  paying-out  machinery 
The  accident  occurred   at   half-past  eleven,  and  the  ship  was  about 
seven  mJes  from  the  point  from  which  she  started  that  afternoon.     The 
other  vessels  of  course  could  not  have  been  aware  of  its^xaot  nature 
but  they  must  have  known  from  the  stoppage  of  the  ship  that  there  was 
somethmg  wrong.     Whatever  may  have  been  their  anxiety  during  the 
kng  and  weary  hour  and  «  half  which  it  t6ok  to  renew  the  splice,  it  cer- 
tainly did  not  exceed  what  we  felt  during  that  time.    Not  a  word  was 
spoken  except  by  thosein  command,  v»d  the  orders  were  promptly  and 
quietly  obeyed    Those  who  could  take  no  active  part  in  the  work,  looked 
on  with  something  6(  the  feeling  with  which  .  man  .wit,  tt.o  r^ffult  of 


iV 


/; 


'I'kyA-.l  -Mit'  ■ 


f  I 


THE  FIBflT  ATI,ANno  EXPEBITION. , 


139 


a  chance  on  which  his  very  life  may  depend.  Many  an  inquiring  look 
was  directed  to  that  portion  of  the  cable  that  hung  over  the  stern,  and 
at  the  men  who  were  employed  at  the  work  of  spliciag.  It^seemed  as  if 
it  would  never  be  finiahed,  although  the  joiners  went  at  it  with  a  will, 
knowing  how  much  depended  on  th^eir  expedition,  and  performed  it  in 
half  the  time  that  would  be  given  to  it  under  other  circumstances.  The, 
hemp  serving  and  gutta  percha  insulation  were  cut  off,  leaving-both  ends 
of  the  copper  wire  or  conductor  perfectly  bare.  This  was  done  in  almost^ 
less  time  than  it  takes  to  relate  the  circumstance.  The  two  conductors 
were  then  laid  together,  bound  up  with  a  single  wire,  and  the  whole  sol-  ^ 
dered  together.  After  this  the  gutta  percha  was  placed  over  the  con- 
ductor in  a  perfectly  plastic  state,  and  the  insulation  having  been  thus 
effected,  the  hempen  strands  were  served  upon  it,  the  iron  protecting 
wire  or  external  armor  placed  over  that  again,  and  the  whole  securely 
bound  with  strong  hemp.  Having  been  spliced  in  this  way,  it  was  low- 
ered down  cautiously  over  the  stern  by  the  same  hawser,  so  that  there 
was  little  or  no  strain  brought  upon  it,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour 
more  the  ship  was  on  her  course,  going  at  a  rate  of  from  two  to  three 
miles  an  hour. 

Many  an  impalient  look  is  directed  toward  the  splicer,  but  he 
performs  his  duty  well ;  he  is  working  with  all  possible  dispatch,  and 
although  we  wish  he  were  quicker,  he  is  doing  all  a  man  can  do ;  if  the 
cable  be  lost,  it  will  certainly  bo  through  na  fault  of  his.  In  the  midst 
of  the  subdued  excitement — for  as  I  have  said,  no  one  attempted  to 
speak  but  in  whispers,  except  those  in  coramandrr-we  could  not  but 
think,  when  we  looked  out  upon  the  calm  sea  as  it  sparkled  under  the 
bright  light  of  the  full  moon,  with  a  feeling  of  gratitude  upon  the  aus- 
picious weather  with  which  our  enterprise  had  been  blessed  thus  far. 
Never  was  a  vessel  more  favored  than  ours,  and  if  we  are  only  permitted 
to  lay  this  cable,  what  a  time  of  rejoicing  we  will  have  when  we  get  back 
to  New  York.  It  is  almost  too  much  to  hope,  and  as  we  think  what  we 
havf  yet  to  go  through,  our  sensations  become  painful  in  the  ex- 
ttome.  Let  us,  when  we  return  to  the  Empire  City,  be  able  to  tell  our 
friends  that  the  cable  is  laid,  and  the  United  States,  big  as  they  are,  will 
not  be  able  to  hold  us. 

Let  us  lay  this  cable  sticcessfully  and  we  will — but  it  is  useless  say- 
ing what  we  will  do.  After  all  our  anxiety,  after  all  the  excitement,  it 
may  be  that  we  are  not  destined  to  accomplish  our  groat  work  this  time, 
but  oar  hopes  are  strong,  and  I  know  that  there  is  not  a  man  on  board, 
from  the  captain  to  the  humblest  hand,  that  is  not  wrapt  up  heart  and 
soul  in  the  enterprise.     So  strong  is  the  feeling,  that  I  believe  there 


'  4 


^  I 


would  be  less  exoitemeni  among  them  at  tlie  cry  of  "^man  overboard" 


-  \ 


■^ 


X 


'^ 


■ft; 


THE  QCKA»  TELBGEAPH. 

./than  there  would  atfthe  announcement  that  the  cable  had  parted,  per- 
hapa  It  18  because  they  think  the  man  might  be  picked  up,  but  that  the 
cable  never  could.  ' 

The  cable  meantime  baa  been  paid  out,  and  in  less  than  an  hour  we 
are  at  least  two  mUes  off  from  where  the  splice,  which  had  put  every  one 
into  such  a  terrible  state  of  anxiety,  is  lying  safely  upon  its  ocean  bed. 
•  We  are  glad  to  get  rid  of  it,  for  it  was  one  of  the  worst  customers  with 
which  we  had  yet  to  deal,  and  eviry  bodv  congratulates  every  body  else 
that  It  IS  safely  overboard. .  «  I  tell  you\hat,"  says  one  of  the  quarter- 
masters two  or  three  hours  after;  "  I  teU  you  what,  that  was  a  hard' 
tug,  and  I  hope  we  won't  soon  have  such  another  "—a  hope  in  which 
It  IS  almost  needless  to  say  every  one  who  heard  him.joined. 

The  next  point  of  interest  now  is  the  telegraph  office,  the  door  of 
which  ,s  beset  with  eager  inquirers,  all  desirous  of  knowing  how  the 
cable  works,  and  a  considerable  number  of  these  with  messages  for 
friends  not  only  in  Valentia,  Liverpool  and  London,  but  avay  off  in 
the  United  States.  Amo^g  these  was  the  writer,  who  took  advantage 
of  the  first  opportunity  to  transmit  the  following  despatch  to  the  New 
York  Herald,  and  which  he  feels  considerable  pri^e  in  being  abk  to  «ty 
was  the  first  sent  to  any  newspaper  over  the  Atlantic  Telegraph,  or 
that  portion  of  it  which  waylaid.     And  here  it  is-  '       g'^^P"' " 


Unitkd  Statks  Prigatb  Niaoara.         ) 


At  Bea,  off  the  Coast  of  Ireland,  August  tt- 

To  Jajies  GoUivoK  nE.yNwr,  Y^.,  New  York  HnM  Office. 

The  cable  is  being  paid  out  over  the  stern  in  capital  style  and  th^ 

Bhip  ,s  going  at  the  rate  of  two  miles  an  hour      WeXvo  W  ^^\A  n  ! 

the   w^fth  mile  «ost  suceesafully.  and  are  ^tting  on  admiJabir^  T^^^^ 

SL     r^  *^°  Niagara,  and  sanguine  as  to  Sio  result  of  thTexne 
dition     We  can  see  tfe  Ughts  of  the  other  steamers  as  they  hover  around 

J5  :^t^c^r  "'"*  "^^""^  -^"'^^^  ^'^^^ »-'  feeirsrh^ow 

ValJn'lu  Ba"^'"^  ^'^^^^  ""^  ""''"""^  ^'""^  *^^  *'''«'''P^  ''^'^  "^^ 
To  which  the  following  reply  was  received : 


i  ' 


THE  FmST  ATLANnO  EXPEDITION. 


141 


The  messages  that  were  sent  by  the  officers  to  their  friends  and 
relatives  in  different  parts  of  the  United  States  would  fill  nearly  a 
Tolnme,  and  the  operatives  were  kept  busy  at  the  instrument  the  whole 
time. 

TTiird  Day— August  8. 

Since  the  Niagara  left  New  York,  she  was  not  and  could  not  have 
been  favored  i^  fairer  weather  than  she  had  to-day.  The  sun  rose  in 
aa  alnwjgifcdless  sky,  and  the  wind  was  so  light  that  it  hardly  raised  ' 
*  "PriMJ^ft. water.  The  rest  of  the  telegraph  squadron  had  spread 
a  parl^^Miff  canvas  in  the  hope  of  being  able  to  save  their  coal ;  but 
they  made  nothing  by  it,  and  were  obliged  to  furl  their  sails  which  were 
hanging  loosely  from  the  yards.  Even  the  light  ensigns  hung  from  the 
peaks  in  folds,  and  there  was  hardly  strength  enough  in  the  breeze  to 
shako  out  the  still  lighter  streamers  that  floated  from  the  main.  We 
heard  the  bells  of  the  Susquehanna  as  she  stood  off  about  half  a  mile  on 
our  starboard  quarter,  and,  were  it  necessary,  could  have  hailed  her  at 
that  distance  without  any  great  straining  of  lungs.  The  Leopard  was 
taking  it  easy  away  off  four  or  five  hundred  yards  on  the  port  side,  and 
the  Agamemnon,  with  her  massive  and  warlike-looking  hull,  "although  a 
mile  and  a  half  away,  loeifued  up  as  visibly  as  if  she  were  not  more  than 
one-third  that  distance  off.  The  Cyclops  amused  herself  running  ahead 
of  the  rest  of  the  squadron,  as  if  on  the  look-out  for  something  which 
she  never  succeeded  in  finding.  She  had  a  jolly,  rollicking  way  of  her 
own,  that  contrasted  strongly  with  the  rolling  gait  of  the  bluff  Aga- 
memnon and  the  dashing  style  of  the  Leopard,  which  pitched  into  every 
sea,  no  matter  how  small,  as  if  it  had  some  insidious  designs  upon  her, 
throwing  it  from  her  in  showers  of  spray.  The  Susquehanna  took  it 
quietly  enough,  and  seemed  as  perfectly  satisfied  at  going  two  miles  an 
hoar  as  if  she  had  been  going  a  dozen  in  the  same  time.  About  twenty 
miles  astern  of  the  squadron  the  Skelligs,  two  high  rocks  that  stand  out 
from  the  ^nain  land  like  gigantio  outposts,  were  distinctly  visible,  and 
although  the  little  light-house  at  the  entrance  to  Yalentia  harbor  had 
Bonk  below  the  horisoa  some  hours  before,  we  conld  still  tell  its  position 
by  the  high  landmarks  by  which  it  was  sarrouuded.  There  were  the 
Blasketts,  an  island  mountain,  and  one  of  the  first  of  the  many  high- 
laads  whioh  the  mariner  sees  on  this  part  of  the  Irish  coaijt  before  he 
enters  Dingle  bay;  and  those  low,  half-sunken,  treacherous-looking 
rooks,  with  whioh  the  wavot  are  at  perpetual  war,  are  the  Foze,  and  are 
the  dread  of  all  the  shipmasters  who  trade  about  this  part  of  the  island. 
Away  off  beyond  4hftge«e  and  the  Bhuketts,  amwag^  thoa»^tigMmHk-^ 


-1. 


I 


of  the  ooimty  Kerry,  is  aome  of  the  most  magnificent  scenery  that  ever 


T — H" 


-^t 


i^\ 


.  yi^ii^*^}..^^'^ 


■r;i  ■ 


"'fa    f 


;!■    * 


1"        -w, 


/ 


■  1^2  ^  XHE  OCEAN  TBLBORAPH. 

delighted  the  eyes  of  a  traveUer ;  and,  aa  those  highlands  si  J|^ad- 
^    ually  belpw  the  horizon,  the  valleys  darken  with  the  evening  shallows 
and  the  mountain  peaks,  suffused  with  the  red  glow  of  the  descending 
Bun,  look  more  like  the  creations  of  dreamland   than  a  livbg,  actual 
reality. 

It  is  Captain  Pennock's  watch  to-day,  although    Captain  Hudson 

may  b^  said  to  be  always  on,  with  the  exception  of  the  few  hours  which 
•  he  gives  to  rest.     The  Captain's  first  question  is  in  regard  to  the  cable. 

as  it  is  in  fact  the  first  with  almost  every  one  when  they  haTe  got-  the 

sleep  out  of  their  eyes. 
V       "  What  is  the  rate  at  which  the  cable  is  being  paid  out  ?  "    h6  in- 

quires,  addressing  Mr.  Fugitt,  the  sailmaker,  who  is  one  of  the  guardians 
■  of  the  coils.  , 

"  Three  miles,  sir,"  is  the  response.     This  is  fiot  so  fast  as  hiid  been  " 
expected,  but  it^is  doing  very  well  for  the  present,  although  the  inten- 
tion  28  to  do  mu^  better  before  a  hundred  miles  of  the  cable  shall  have 
been  passed  over  the  stern.   .  A  visit  to  the  coil  p^ves  that  the  report 
of  Mr.  Fugitt  IS  correct,  and  also  proves  another  thing,  that  whatever 
fears  might  ha^  beeu  felt  in  regard  to  kinks,  or  any  thing  of  that  kind 
are  entirely  ^undless.     Nothing  could  be  more  gratifying  than  the 
way  in  which  it  comes  up  out  of  the  coil-so  flexible,  and  yet  possessinit 
so  much  strength.     There  is  no  trouble  whatever  with  il^no  twistinir 
mto  knots  nor  entangling  of  the  flakes^but  the  whole  procfess  of  uncoU- 
ipg  goes  on  without  the  slightest  difficulty.     The  men  who  stand  around 
the  circle  looking  out  for  accidents  have  an  easy  time  of  it,  and  might 
be  in  New  York  or  Liverpool,  or  away  in  the  Punjaub,  for  all  their 
•  services  are  requirfed     That  cable  couldn't  kink  if  it  tried-  and  so  . 
long  as  it  passes  out  of  the  ship  safely,  and  is  deposited  securely  on  th« 
bottom,  It  may  twist  as  much  as  it  pleases.     The  iron  wires  which  form 
the  outer  covering  or  protection  may  become  so  corroded  with  the  action 
of  the  salt  water  as  to  afford  it" no  longer  any  protection;  but  whUe  the 
msulation  remaim.  intact,  the  essentul  part  of  the  cable  requires  no  other 
protection  than  that  given  it  by  th«  gutta  peroha.     It  has  been  urged, 
M  an  argument  in  favor  of  the  success  of  the  AtUntio  telegraph,  that 
the  iron  wire,  in  fhe  process  of  decomposition  to  which  it  would  be  sub- 
jected after  its  submersion,  would  enter  into  oombination  with  the  cal- 
Mreous  substances,  which,  as  has  been  shown  by  the  soondinga  of  Lieut. 
Berryman  and  Capt  Dayman,  form  a  part  of  the  deposit  of  the  bed  of 
the  ocean.     Once  the  cable  is  down,  however,  and  down  seeurelj,  who 
cares  whether  it  does  or  not,  or  whether  there  ia  nofc  »  particle  of  the 
protecting  wire  left  ?  ; 

The  first  ooU  wiU  be  >U  mn  out  fae  *in»Jgaom)w  (gai>dig)i  __ 


'mr-wrf, 


■:m  ■ 
■J 


>• 


It 


THE  FIRST  ATLAHTig  EXPEDITION. 


143 


morning,. and  then  what  a  time  there  will  be  in  passing  the  second  splic- 
mg  safely  out  of  the  ship,  and  how  we  ahall  rcgoice  at  having 
even  one-tenth  part  of  our  half  laid !  Various  speculationa  are  afloat 
as  to  the  length  submerged  and  the  distance  run ;  and  when  it  is  announced 
from  some  quartc^r  or  another  that  the  twenty-five  hundred  miles  aboard 
both  ships  will  fall  short  before  the  Agamemnon  reaches  tlic  Newfound- 
land terminus,  a  rattier  uucasy  feeling  takes  possession  of  some,  although 
the  engineers  express' their  confidence  that  two  or  three  days'  reckoning 

.  will  show  there  is  not  only  enough,  hat  plenty  to  spare.  The  only  thing 
that  remained  now  to  be  done  was  to  get  rid  of  the  cable  as  fast  as  we 
could,  for  although  we  might  have  been  satisfied  with  thr<'e  miles  when 
we  started,  now  that  we  had  attained  that,  we  would  not  be  content  till  we 
reached  four  or  five.  The  only  objection  to  this  was  tjiat  it  might  bring 
too  great  a  strain  upon  it,.and  that  in  our  impatience  to  get^hrough  <fith 
oup  part  Qf  the  work  we  might  lose  the  cable — &  eatastrophe,  the  verj 
drea<^, '61"  which  haunted  us  like  a  aightmare. .  True,  the  strain  at  the 
.i-s- Resent  rate,  as  appeared  from  the  indicator,  did  not  exceed  four  hun- 
dred pounds,  while  the  cable,  as  had  been  proved  by  the  experiment  in 
Yalentiid  Bay,  was  capable  of  bearing  a  strain  of  three'  aqd  a  half  tms. 

It  has  just  been  proved  from  a  calculation  of  th^  distance  n^uii  and 
the  amount  of  the  cable  .paid  out^  that  there  is  at  present  no  reason  to 
fear  we  shall  not  have  enough.  The  ship  is  thirty-nine  miles  fVom 
the  point  at  which  the  shore  end  of  the  cable  was  landed,  while  the  uiim- 
ber  laid  does  not  exceed  forty-ope,  showing  that  only  two  mile^  m^e 
than  the  actual  distance  traversed  have  }>een  expended^. and  that  if  they 
continue  at  this  rate  they  will  have  sufficient  with  'which  to  lay  a  si^b- 
marine  telegraph  line  from  (Jape  B^oe,  Newfoundland,  to  Cape^Kot^, 

.  the  mpt  northern  part  of  Cape  Breton.      But   all   this  is  prema- 
ture.   When  we  reach  mid-ocean,  if  ever  we  succeed  in  getting  so^Jkr, 

-»  we  will  be  better  able  to  tell.  -^  * 

This  day  closed  with  fine  wetter,  and  a  promise  of  its  confinuanoe. 

'Tin  the  evening,  about  seven  or  eight  o'clock,  tBe  remarkable  color  of 
the  sea  attracted  general  attention.  But  only  a  few  h^urs  previous  it 
,  had  a  deep  blue,  but  it  was  now  a  v6ry'}ight  pea  green,  and,  looking 
closely  at  Uie  surface,  we  discovered  that  it  was  strewed  with  dead  me- 
dtisn.  For  miles  and  miles  we  passed  through  these,  and  would  doubtless 
have  continued  to  see  them  had  we  npt  been  prevented  by  the  darkness  of 
night.  Another  visit  to  tbe  ooil  aqd  the  telegraph  office  befoier  going 
to  bed,  satisfied  its  that  the  cable  was  going  out  in  fine  style,  and  th&t 
the  continuity  was  perfect.  That  word  "  continuity  "  had  become  quite 
a  pet  op  board ;  and  if  any  thing  went  wrong  ;with  the  cable,  the  first 

<^MA«tinn  WM  al^rfcja  tf  unrny  in  rogftfd  to  ita  nnfftfr.  ^  tHfl  Hfllt  M  ttt 


•^ 


;» 


-^* 


■:':^t^y:'mili'mf.;f-mi.x.i^iiu^a^ 


»U- 


■r  - 


•'%f^»ii^ 


lA; 


it"? 


-W^ 


144 


THE  <)OEAir  TBLEOfiAFH. 


'A'  ■ 


0?i    :     . 


II  ^^'' 

l«  i 


the  cont^fy  being  aU  right    Once  at  ease  on  both  these  points  ermj 
one  slepfSnore  soundly,  but  the  moment  the  sUghtest  breach  was/ whis- 
pered of  any  thing  wrong  with  either,  the  greatest  anxiety  was  manifest- 
ed tiU  the  cheering  intelligenee  was  given  that  the  work  waa  going  on 
Buocessfally     If  the  "  old  coffee-miH  "  stopped  for  a  minute/aU  hands 
in  the  cabin  and  wardroom  were   on  deck  to  know  the  cause  of  it, 
and  did  not  go  below  again  till  it  west  on  as  before.    The  "  coffee- 
mill  "  was  the  name  giyen  to  the  paying-out  machine,  from  the  peculiar 
noise  made  by  the  wheels,  and  which  bore  somewhat  of  a  resembhince 
to  that  which  would  be  produced  by  a  mill  for  grmding  coffee.     The 
sound  became  as  £uniliar  to  us  as  that  of  our  own  roioes,  and  so  long  as 
we  heard  it,  we  knew  that  erery  thing  was  safe— that  is,  that  the  cable, 
which  was  every  thing  to  as,  was  going  out  without  difficulty.     The  first 
thing  we  heard  m  the  mombg  was  the  paying-out  machme  grinding 
away  above  our  heads,  and  although  it  made  what  some  might  con- 
sider a  disagreeable  racket,  to  us  it  was  more  pleasing  than  the  best  op- 
era ever  produced  by  ItaUan,  German,  or  any  other  oompoeer.     This 
night,  particularly,  it  seems  more  noisy  than  ever,  but  instead  of  interfer- 
ing with  our  rest,  it  will  only  make  ns  sleep  the  sounder. 

Fourth  Dajf— August  9. 

.  The  now  familiar  sound  of  the  paying-out  machine,  which  never 
ceases  except  when  there  is  somethbg  wrong^th  the  cable,  kept  on 
through  the  whole  night  without  interruption%nd  was  the  first  thing 
that  greeted  our  waking  senses.  We  were  domg  wonders,  and  so  long 
as  the  brakes  were  not  applied,  the  machine  showed  no  sign  of  halting 
in  its  work.  At  our  mess  table  it  was  the  principal  subject  of  conversa- 
tion, and  all  were  of  the  opinion  that  the  Uyitog  of  a  cable  across  the 
.V  Atlantic  was  not  only  feasible,  but. that  it  would  be  accomplished  in^ 

this  present  month  of  August,  and  by  the  ships  Niagara  and  Agamem- 
.  non.    There  were  some,  it  is  true,  who  thought  that  there  might  be  a 
difficulty  when  we  came  to   the  great  depths,  and  thkt  the  increased 
weight  and  strain  which  would  then  be  brought  upon  the  cable,  with  the 
pitchinjf  and  roUmg  of  the  ship  in  a  heavy  sea,  might  be  more  thafl  it 
could  bear;  but  afler  aU,  there  was  little  danger  to  bo  apprehended 
from  this,  if  the  brakes  were  not  put  on,  for  it  was  observed  that  when 
they  were  employed  for  the  purpose  of  cheeking  its  speed,  they  veiy  fre- 
quently stopped  the  wheels  from  tumbg,  and  brought  upon  it  the  strain 
produced  by  the  speed  of  the  vessel-*  strain  which  would  part  the 
strongest  cable  ever  made,  as  it  parted  the  shore  cable  but  a  few  days 
ago,  and  only  a  short  time  after  we  got  out  of  Doulus  Bay.  •  Those 
__  ^''^*^JgJ^!?J!^the^j  things  <^^^      hjfe  to  4m4f  ^>a4^ft<»^^ 


HA.... 


^p§^f- 


TIjTE  7IB8T  ATLANTIO  KXPEDmON. 


145 


.  were  once  overboard,  there  is  no  difficulty,  bo  far  aa  our  experience  has 
yet  proved,  in  the  way  of  the  succesaful  accomplishment  of  this  enter- 
prise. 

We  areHn  high  hamor  at  the  progress  we  have  filready  made,  as  well 
as  the  fine  weather  we  have  had,  and  being  on  Uie  second  coil  of  the 
deep  sea  line  whip&  was  put  on  the  berth  deck,  are  now  looking  forward 
to  the  time  whea  we  shall  get  rid  of  that  too.  The  coil  which  had  been 
formed  on  the  spar  deck,  an(]/the  last  mile  of  which  wa«i  paid  out  at  a 
qoarte^  to  8  o'clock  this  m<^ing,  contained  one  hundred  and  thirty 
milefli  which,  with  the  ten  miles  vf  heavy  shore  cable,  made  one  hundred 
and  forty,  or  about  on%-ninth  of  the  whole  amovnt  od  board.    It  was 

'  known  last  evening  that  if  jio  accident  occurre  I,  we  would  reach  the 

foremain  deck  coil  some  time  this  morning ;  and  as  the  critical  moment 
arrived,  all  who  could  were  up  on  deck  to  see  the  splice  by  which  the 
two  were  connected  go  over  the  stern.  This  moment  was  looked  forward 
to  with  considerable  interest  and  anxiety.  It  was  thooght  that  the  strain 
produced  by  the  machinery  on  the  joint,  which  is  certainly  not  so  strong 
as  the  oUier  part£  of  the  cable,  would  b?  too  much  for  it,  and  that  it 
would  give  on  being  paid  out.  Every  precaution  was  therefore  taken 
to  prevent  such  an  occurrence.  The  speed  of  the  ship  was  reduced  to  a 
mile  an  hour,  and  the  spliced  portion  lowered  gently  from  the  sterA. 
About  thirty  men  were  stationed  about  the  coil  and'&t  the  machinery, 
w^iile  a  doien  stood  near  the  stem,  ^U  ready  for  any  emergency  that 
might  arise.  Standing  by  the  circle  from  which  the  cable  was  notv 
going  up  with  greatly  diminished  [?peed,  we  watched  flake  aftei  fl^  and 
*  torn  »fter  turn  as  it  was  unwound  from  about  the  cone,  pntil  the  last 

tum-T-the  spliced  part — was  reached,  and  following  it  up  to  the  machin- 
'^  ery,  saw  it  pass  safely  over  the  five  wheels. and  down  into  the  water. 
In  a  half  hour  more  all  danger  was  oyer ;  a  fSw  more  revolutions  were 
given  to  the  propeller,  and  we  were  soon  going  at  the  rate  of  ihree  miles 
an  hour  towards  Trinity  Bay,  Newfoundland.  This  speed  was  increas- 
ed to  three  and  a  half,  and  before  night  wo  were  gobg  at  the  rate  of  five, 
"  the  highest  we  had  reached  yet  The  rest  of  the  squadron  were  some- 
what astonished,  for  having  graduated  their  speed  by  what  we  had  been 
ronning,  ihej  began  to  fall  astern  very  rapidly  for  two  or  three  hours. 
They  soon  found  out  the  cause,  howevfer,  and  putting  on  a  little 
more  steam,  took  their  former  position,  ^he  ease^  with  which  the 
cable  was  paid  out  at  this  rate  convmcefl  all  of  the  practicabil- 
ity of  continuing  it  with  perfect  success,  and  witb  saoh  favorable 
weadier  as  had  attended  the  enterprise  up  to  this  time,/ of  laying 
the  cable  inside  of  mxteen  days.     All  that  was  necessary  was  to 

look  ont  for  the  splices,  to  reduce  the  bpeed  at  the  proper  time,  and 


1     I 


H 


10 


,  / 


146 


THE  OCEAN  TKLEOBAPH. 


*., 


i^: 


especially  to  avoid  the  use  of  the  brakes  except  when  imperatively  ne^. 
cessary.      The  accumulation  of  tar  in  the  grooves  or  sheaves   it  wa* 
feared  might  have  a  tendency  to  throw  the  cable  off  the  wheels,  but  as 
It  was  brushed  away  again  by  the  cable  abnost  as  quick  as  It  gathered, 
uttlo, attention  was  paid  to  it.  ^ 

In  the  early  part  of  the  day  divine  service  was  celebrated,  the  cap- 
tain  performing  the  duties  of  chaplain.  Thert,  was  not,  however,  any 
mterruption  in  the  work;  the  men  were  at  their  stations  as  usual,  and 
mingled  with  the  captain's  voice  was  the  din  of  the  machinery.  At 
the  close  the  prayer  for  tho  success  of  the  expedition,  which  was  read 
at  the  celebration  of  the  h.ftding  of  the  cable,  was  repeated,  and  the 

feTtTnit"'"'"  ^"""''"^'  "^"'"^  ^""^  ^"^^  ""^  ^°*'''«*  "^«^y  ""^^ 

The  greatest  depth  over  which  we  had  passed  was  four  hundred 

-.    fs^thoms  but  to-morrow  we  expect  to  be  paying  the  cable  out  into  two 

housand  fathoms  «,f  water,  or  somewhat  over  two  miles.     This  will   ■ 

test  the  practicabilityXUying  it  in  great  depths,  and  settle  forever 

one  of  the  most  serious  questions  to  which  this  enterprise  has  g?ven 

■    rm     I,  IS  supposed  by  some,  in  opposition  to  the  "  telegraph  plateau  " 

theory  of  Lieut  Maury,  that  th^  bottom  of  the  ocean,  instead  of  being 

of  one  nniform  level  between  Ireland  anjl  Newfoundland,  has  the  sam! 

depressions  arid   heights,  the  same  abi^pt  declivities  ^nd  mounS 

ranges,  which  are  to  be  found  upon  the  silrfaoe  of  tbe  earth' 

The  soundings  of  Lieut.  Berryman,  of  the  United  States  navy,  and 
Commander  Dayman  of  the  British  navy,  have  proved  the  exis  J^  of 
this  plateau^  but  stdl  it  i«  urged  that,  as  these  soundings  were  taken  at 
mtervals  o    thirty,  forty  or  fifty  miles,  it  is  impossible  S  tell  th7exa^ 

than  a  speculative  opmion  in  regard  to  the  subject.     The  laying  there- 
fore, of  this  cable  will  do  much  towards  putting  an  end  to'al''doub" 

letreiri  ^"^■'*''^'''^"  ^""''"^  ^''^^  '^'  practicabUity  of 
^e  presen  enterpi^e  >e  of  the  great  diffieulties  which  Mr.  Brett 

had  to  contend  with  m  laying  a  cable  across  the  Mediterranean  was 

caused  by  the  great  depth  of  water,  which  in  parts  equals  theX^" 

fundings  ound  on  the  telegraphic  plateau,  but%hose^were  ab^ptTd 

not  gradua  descents  like  what  we.hall  have.     We  will  not  be  afar,;^ 

bjr  any  of  those  rapid  runs  of  the  cable  that  threaten  destruction  to  aU 

m  Its  way  for  the  descents  over  which  w^  shall  pass  will  not  be  greater 

about   three  hundred.     This  is  certainly  most  promising,  and  if  the 
promj  holds  good  and  the  cable  don't  part,  we  may  ha^'  an  opportu 
nity  of  reahimg  It  to-morrow.  '  Fi«««^ 


■-f. 


J 


f 

I 


/ 1 


s. 


if- 


THE   P1B8T  ATt*AJfTIO-j:XPKDrnON. 


147 


any 


Dnring  tbe  day  w«  signalled  the  squadron  that  "all  was  right," 
which  meant  that  the  cable  was  going  out  safely,  that  the  con- 
tinuity was  perfect,  and,  in  a  , word,  that  we  were  getting  along.  a« 
well,  if  not  better,, than  eould  bo  expected.  They  were'  satisfied,  and 
during  the  remainder  of  the  day  kept  on  their  westward  course  without 
interruption,  while  we  pur8^ed  ours  steadily,  paying  out  the  cable  at 
the  rate  of  from  five  to  six  miles  per  hour.  The  electricians  said  the 
cable  was  in  good  working  order,  and  messages  were  sent  tlirough  it  to 
America  by  the  oflBcers  of'  the  Niagara  to  their  fri  ids  and  relatives, 
all  of  whom  will  doubtless  have  received  them  before  we  reach  the 
other  side  of.  the  Atlatffio.  There  is  evidently  a  determination  not  to 
let  it  remainJ^ifrtoT  want  of  work,  and  the  operators  havl  enough  to 
do  if  thejpg^t  through  the  pile  of  manuscnpt  which  lies  on  theit'  desk 
befor^/moming. 

^^ifth  J?ay—Augrtk  10. 

There  was  a  pretty  heavy  sea  on  during  the  whole  of  this  day,  and 
it  was  evident  that  there  had  been  a  gale  somewhere  in  the  immediate 
vicinity,  judging  from  the  size  of  the  waves.  The  rate  of  paying  out 
varied  from  four  and  a  half  to  ^ii  knots  an  hour,  and  the  cable  came 
up  from  the  coil  as  easily  as  if  the  ship  were  only  making  two  knots. 
'  It  is  certainly  a  wonderful  cable,  and  those  coils  are  admirably  adapted 
to  the  work.  There  was,  it  must  be  confessed,  a  prejudice  against  them 
at  first,  and  ^hen  they  were  suggested  as  the  best  form  that  could  be 
devised,  some  objected  to  them,  on  the  ground  that  they  would  be  so 
liable  to  kink.  This  opinion  has  now  been  proved  to  be  erroneous,  and 
those  who  opposed  th6^  circles  are  convinced  by  practical  demonstration 
that  they  were  the  best  that  could  be  adopted. 

This  morning  about  ten  o'clock  a  sail  hove  in  sight,  when  the  squad- 
ron, in  addition  to  their  own  national,  colors,  displayed  the  Telegraph 
flag.  Our  quartermaster,  when  she  was  some  three  or  four  miles  off, 
proclaimed  her  to  be  "a  Dutchman."  In  half  an  hour  he  took  another 
observation  of  her ;  said  he  could  see  her  colors,  that  she  was  Norwe- 
gian, ddding,  in  a  triumphant  tone,  that  ho  knew  "  she  was  some  kind 
of  Dutch,"  but  he  guessed  it  was  "  pretty  high  up." 

About  eleven  o'clock  the  Agamemnon  signalled  to  ,jj»^  desiring  to 
know  if  we  had  any  news,  through  the  cable,  from  '  the  East  Indies,  a 
part  of  the  British  dominions  which  at  this  particular  time  excites  the 
most  painful  interest  throughout  England.  We  replied  that  we  had 
not.  There  were,  we  understood,  some  on  board  who  had  relatives 
there,  and  who  naturally  felt  anxious  to  hear  about  the  condition  of 
things  in  that  country.  At  this  time  we  were  in  2,150  fathoms  water, 
and  the  cable  was  going  out  in  magnificent  style.     There  wore  none  of 


I 


i  If 


I  il 


I, 


n 


M 


r 


•ii' 


I    ■•I'r 


%-\\ 


if  ■ 


u.  I. 


I  '\ 


IS;;-' 


Ui 


148 


THB  OOBAM  TELBOBAPH. 


those  BQdden  ahrming  rniui  which  had  been  predicted  for  ob  whea  our 
ship  should  come  to  the  great  depths,  and  had  we  not  known  from  the 
chart  of  the  soundings  where  w  were,  we  could  not  have  told  the  differ- 
ence, BO  far  as  its  effect  upon  the  line  was  concerned.  We  could  part, 
ly  tell  the  strain  by  the  angle  which  it  made  with  the  water,  while  the 
speed  at  which  it  went  out  was  marked  upon  an  indicator  connected 
with  the  machinery.  The  strain  was  shown  more  accurately  by  another 
indicatw,  so  that  w;o  could  tell  the  exact  number  of  pounds  it  was  sub- 
.  jected  to  at  any  particular  time.  -This  hardly  exceeded  three  hundred, 
except  when  the  brakes  were  put  on,  and  then  it  was  increased  to  fifteen 
and  twenty  hundred,  and  sometimes  more.  In  all  cases,  howerer,  it 
would  not  do  to  take  the  indicator  as  a  true  gnide,  as  the  pitching  of 
the  vessel  produced  a  strain  which  is  not  always,  if  it  is  ever,  correctly 
marked  upon  it. 

There  was  a  great  deal  of  excitement  created  by  the  cable  getting 
off  the  wheels  twice  this  evening,  but  fortunately  it  was  put  on  again 
without  any  other  accident.  It  was  to  a  considerable  extent,  a  repeti- 
tion of  the  same  scene  that  took, place  when  the  cable  broke  off  the 
coast  of  Ireland.  The  ship  was  backed  immediatdy,^  the  cable  released 
from,  the  strain,  and  in  five  minutes,  which  seemed  so  many  hours,  it 
was  put  on  the  wheels  again.  When  the  order  was  given  to  the  engi- 
neer ,to  "go  ahead  slow,"  it  is  impossible  to  describe  the  scene  wbidi 
followed — the  relief  from  a  feeling  of  terrible  suspense  and  painful  ex- 
citement to  which  every  one  was  wound  up,  the  warm  and  hearty  con- 
gratulations that  were  interchanged,  and  ^e  eagerness  with  which  we 
still  continued  to  watch  the  wheels,  fearful  of  a  repetition  of  the  aooi- 
dent.  The  engineers  kept  near  the  machine,  ready  in  case  of  emer- 
gency to  go  over  the  work  again;  but  fortunately  there  was  no  call  for 
their  services  in  the  same  way  this  night,  after  the  second  catastrophe. 

The  throwing  of  the  cable  off  the  wheels  was  caused  by  the  accumu- 
lation of  tar  in  the  sheaves,  which  are  not  so  Ajep  and  so  wide  as  expe- 
rience ha«  proved  they  should  have  been.  Th^  tar,  which  is  pressed  oat 
of  the  iron  or  protecting  wire  as  the  cable  passes  over  the  wheels,  stioks 
|n  the  sheaves  until  it  gathers  in  some  parts  in  large  lumps,  which  become 
hardened  by  exposure  to  the  air.  The  effect  of  this  is  to  throw  the  eable 
off  altogether,  as  oceorred  in  the  two  oases  just  mentioned. 

We  bad  hardly  recovered  from  the  alarm  created  by  these  accidents, 
when  the  whole  ship  was  thrown  inio  another  state  of  excitement  by  Uut 
report  that  the  oontintiity  WM  goneU-thafc  the  cable  refused  any  longer 
to  transmit  the  electric  oorrent;  in  a  word,  that  all  communication 
between  the  ship  and  the  shore  had  ioeased,  in  fconsequenoe  of  some  acci- 
dent to  the  coj^r  wire  or  oonduottir,  of  which  so  one  knew  the  oaoae. 


THE  FIBflT  ATLAMTIO  EXPEDITION. 


140 


For  two  hoars  and  a  half  the  continuity  waa  lost;  and  we  believed  that  all  , 
was  over,  that  the  three  hundred  and  odd  miles  which  had  been  laid  wore 
laid  in  rain,  that  wo  would  be  obliged  to  return,  and  report  our  own 
failur*,  when  the  eyes  of  Uie  whole  world  were  turned  upon  us,  and  ac  a 
time,  too,  when  we  confidently  hoped  that  soocees  waa  within  our  reach 
if  we  only  exereisod  »  due  amount  of  vigilanoe  and  caution..  The  Eugi- 
neers,  Captain  Hudson  and  Profeseor  Morse  had  all  agreed  that  the  only 
thing  to  be  done  was  to  out  the  cable  for  the  purpose  of  getting  it  off 
the  paying-oat  machine,  and  transferring  it  to  that  which  was  to  be  used 
for  winding  up,  and  in  regard  to  the  Baoc^ssfal  operation  of  which  there 
were  very  serioas  and  well-founded  doabts. 

Mr.  De  Sautya  the  assistant  electrician,  and  Mr.  Bright,  consulted, 
with  Professor  Mirso  as  to  the  best  course  to  be  pursued,  when  ho  ex- 
pressed the  opini(m  that  the  strain  to  which  the  cable  had  beei.  subjected 
tA  the  time  it  slipped  off  the  wheels  had  opened  the  gutta  pcrcha,  and 
thus  destroyed  the  insalation.  This  certainly  seemed  the  only  reason- 
able explanation  that  coold  be  given  of  thie  affair,  and  the  cause  stated 
was  generally  accepted  as  the  (rue  one.  About  two  miles  of  the  cablq/ 
had  been  paid  oat  since  thai  accident  occurred,  and  the  only  questio^ 
that  now  remained  to  be  decided  was  whether  the  winding-in  machine  could 
be  safely  employed  m  under-running  this  length.  This,  as  Professor  Morse 
said,  was  for  the  chief  engineer,  Mr.  Bright,  to  determine,  and  it  rested ' 
with  him  to  give  the  order  to  have  the  cable  cut,  in  case  he  should  so 
decide.  Mr.  Bright  did  so  decide,  and  preparations  were  being  made  to 
carry  his  order  into  execution,  when  Mr.  De  Saaty  informed  Professor 
Morse  tbA  the  eontinoity  had  been  restored,  and  that  the  insulation  had 
not  l^n  destroyed.  In  five  miniiites  more  the  intelligence  would  have 
eome  too  late,  for  in  that  time  the  cable  would  have  been  out,  and  the 
ooaductor  thus  detached  from  the  telegraph  instrument  could  jgot  have 
given  any  indication  of  its  being  perfect  up  to  the  terminus  on  the  vessel. 
The  glad  news  waa  soon  circulated  throughont  the  ship,  and  all  felt  as 
if  they  had  been  imbued  with  a  new  life.  A  rough,  weaither-beaten  old 
sailor,  who  hinA  t^uited  in  coiling  many  a  long  mile  of  it  on  board  the 
Niagara,  and  who  was  among  the  first  to  run  to  the  telegraph  office  to 
havA  the  news  confirmed,  said  he  would  have  given  fifty  dollars  out  of 
his  pay  to  have  saved  that  cable.  "  I  have  watched  nearly  every  mile 
of  it,"  he  added,  "  as  it  qame  over  the  side,  and  I  would  have  given 
fifty  4dlar9,  poor  a  man  as  I  am,  to  have  saved  it,  although  I  don't 
erpect  to  make  any  thing  by  jt  when  it  is  laid  down."  In  his  own  simple 
way  he  expressed  the  feelingb  of  every  one  oa  board,  for  all  are  as  much 
interested  in  the  saooess  of  <he  enterprise  as  the  largest  shareholder  -  in 
ih6  oompaoy.     They  talked  of  the  oaMe  as  they  would  ojf  a  pet  child, 


s. 


Hi 


r- 


150 


THE    OOEAW   TELSWI 


Srj. 


"4N 


■•?1^; 


i 


pf.  ; 


■nd  nerer  wm  child  treated  with  deeper  Bolicitudo  than  that  with  which 
the  cable  ia  watched  by  them.  You  could  aeo  the  tears  Btonding  in  the 
eyes  of  ffome  as  they  almost  cried  for  joy,  and  told  their  messmates  that 
it  was  all  right.  They  did  not  know  any  thing  about  the  scientifio  defi- 
nition  of  the  word  "  continuity, "  for  to  them  it  was  a  mystery  wWch 
was  incapable  of  explanation,  but  when  they  |»eard  it  was  gone,  they 
seeiped  to  understand  it  as  if  by  instinct,  and  to  appreciate  the  full  extent 
of  the  loss. 

I  have  said  that  it  was  a  great  relief  to  all  to  learn  that  the 
electric  connection  was  still  perfect,  but  each  man,  as  ho  retires  for  the 
night,  has  a  feeling  of  nervousness  and  uncertainty,  lest  the  morrow 
should  have  something  still  worse  in  store  for  us. 

Snath  Day— August  II.  ^ 

This  has  been  a  sad  day.     We  had  retired  full  of  hope,  not,  it  is 
true,  unmixed  with  a  sort  of  dread  that  there  was  something  still  worse 
than  what  had  yet  happened  iinpending  over  the  enterprise.     This  morn- 
ing, about  four  o'clock,  we  were  awakened  out  of  our  sleep  to  hear  the 
cable  had  parted  in  over  two  thousand  fathoms  water.     Five  minutes 
after  it  had  been  announced  every  one  was  out  of  his  bed  to  ascertain 
for  himself  if  it  was  indeed  true.     There  was,  however,  no  rea8;>n  to 
doubt,  for  there  hung  the  broken  end  over  the  stern  swinging  loosely,  and 
there  were  the  wheels  as  motionless  as  a  rock.     The  other  eiid  W  not 
yet  sunk  to  the  bottom;  it  had  to  descend  more  than  two  mUes  before  it 
reached  the  plateau,  and  it  would  require  more  time  to  aocomplish-that 
The  noise  that  sounded  like  pleasant  music  in  our  ears  had  ceased  and 
the  machine  which  had  caused  us  such  anxiety  had  now  become  as 
so  much  useless  lumber,  blocking  up  the  quarter  deck.     The  cause  of  the 
calamity  was  the  application  of  the  brakes,  at  a  time  when  it  was 
fatal  to  use  them.     There  was  a  pretty  heavy  swell  on,  and  as  usual 
under  such  circumstances,  the  stem  of  the  vessel  was  elevated  or  depressed 
as  she  rose  on  each  wave.     It  was  while  her  stem  was  down  that  the 
brakes  were  put  on,  so  that  in  addition  to  the  strain  produced  by  its 
rising  again,  the  cable  had  to  bear  an  additional  strain  of  three  thousMid 
pounds,  as  marked  upon  the  indicator.     This  was  more  than  it  ooold 
bear,  an^  the  consequence  was  that  it  parted.      The  moment  the 
brakes  were  used  the  wheels  stopped,  and  when  the  stem  rose  again 
they  remained  immovable,  so  that,  between  the  strain  brought  anon 
the  cable  by  the  vessel  and  that  caused  by  the  application  of  the 
brakes,  it  had,  as  I  have  said,  to  bear  more  than  it  was  eveV  calculated 
to  sustain.     The  indicator  showed  a  strain  of  three  thousand  pounds  • 
btit  It  u  impossible  to  calculate  the  strain  by  whioh  it  wm  broken' 


■^,M- 


THE  IIB8T   ATLAUTIO  iCXP«DIT10N. 


151 


*^', 
^ 


Had  tho  brake  not  been  applied,  there  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  the 
cable  would  have  rcraaioed  perfect  to  tho  end,  unless  we  were  compelled 
by  very  great  streas  of  weather  to  eut  it.     Tho  circumstance,  to  Bay 


the  least  of  it,  was  most 
the  expedition  has  provedj 
practicability  of  laying 
between  Ir^aud  and  Nc 
fully  convinced  as  he  15  0' 
year,  or  its  iaocomplishment 


te;'but  if  tho  enterprise  has  failed< 
V'youd  all  possibility  of  doubt,  the 
.egraph  cable  across  the  Atlantic 
f  this  every  man  on  board  is  as 
istenec,  whether  it  be  laid  next 
ftponed  for  fifty  years  to  come. 
The  order  to  put  on  the  brakes  was  givea  by  Mr.  Bright  at  this 
eritioal  Inoment,  and  ttiere  is  no  doubt  whatever  on  the  mind  of  any  one 
conversant  with  the  fiiots,  that  It  was  that  order  that  caused  the  fracture 
of  tho  cable.  The  author,  however,  confidently  belicvoH  thnt  it  was 
impossible  to  lay  it- successfully  with  that  machinery,  and  that  some  such 
accident  must  have  inevitably  occurred  before  the  arrival  of  the  fleet  at 
Newfoundland. 

This  morning,  soon  after.^lie  catastrophe,  a  consultation  was  hold  in 
tho  cabin  fd  the  Niagara,  at  which  Captain  Hudson,  Captain  Pennock, 
Captain  ^ainwright,  Mr.  Bright,  Mr.  Woodhouse,  Mr.  Canning,  and 
Professor  Morse  were  present,  when  tho  question  of  commencing  the 
work  over  agadn  with  what  cable  remained  on  board  both  vessebj  was 
discussed,  but  as  it  was  found,  after  due  calculation,  that  there  was  not 

rso  did  not  pre- 
ut  paixl  out  and 


enough  to  connect  th(j  two  points,  tho  proposition 
vail.  The  following  table  and  statement  show  tl 
the  baJaucc  of  cable  oi)  hand : — 

BUtnto  miles. 
Upper  deck     .        .        .        .        .180 
Main  deck       .        .  .        .  2M 

%      Lower  deck 182 

Lower  hold      .  .         .         .862 

Wardroom      .        .        .        .        .  2«7 


I'autlcal  mile*. 
•  111 
266 
167 
805 
257 

Total       .      .  ;        .        .        1,265      ,  1,085    ^ 

This,  with  tea  miles  of  shore  cable,  mftde  a.totsl  of  1,095  nautical 
miles.  Of  this,  334  were  paid  out  when  thp  cable  parted,  leaving  759 
miles  on  board  the  Niagara,  which,  with  the  half  iu  the  Agamemnon, 
left  1,847,  or  a  surplus  of  207  over  1,700  miles— the  distance  between 
the  temini  at  Newfoondland  and  Ireland — an  excess  of  12  per  cent. 
This  was,  as  has  been  said,  considered  insufficient,  and  the  proposition 
was  accordingly  rejected  a6  impracticable.  Indeed,  it  was  deemed 
doubtful  whether,  if  the  cable  had  not  parted,  there  woold  have  been 
enough  to  reach  Trinity  Bay. 

iJLnother  proposition  was  made,  that  wh6n  the  vessels  returned  to 
jBtB^land  aq  additional  length  of  cable  be  prooared,»nd  with  this  and  new 


I  »1 

•1  M 


f 


1      : 


m 

Jiii 


>.>;5. 


159 


THE  OOEABT  TEXEGKAPH. 


I'* 


I.,         •■ 


"♦ 


r«^  T^  u'T'%^"  recommenced  in  October.  Thi«,  however,  was  to 
be  decided  by  the  dire^rs,  and  in  the  mean  time  it  was  understcid  that 
he  Niagara  was  to  he  at  Plymouth  until  further  orders.  It  was  believed 
that  ,f  th«  proposition  should  not  be  carried  out,  our  ship  would  be 
deUined  tm  the  following  year,  when  the  Telegraph  S-iuadroa  wer^ 
to  take  a  fresh  start,  >'  <=    r        i         «  wcio 

Soon  after  the  meeting  Mr.  Field,  with  his  usuU  promptitude,  left 
^.  the  squadron  m  the  Cyelops-the  rest  of  the  vessels  with  the  excejaion 
of  the  Leopard,  remaining  to  make  some  experiments  to  test  the  practi- 
cability of  spbcing  the  ends  of  the  cable  from  both  the  Niagara  and 
Agamemnon.  This  occupied  another  day,  and  proved  that  it  was  per- 
fectly practicable  to  join  the  ends  of  the  cable  in  mid  ocean. 

BOUND  FOB  PLYMOLTH. 
Having  made  the  experiments  suggested  by  ^r.  Field,  and  which,  as 
ha,  been  stated,  were  entirely  successful,  the  Tel^ph  Squadron  staged 
for  Plymouth,  one  of  the  first  naval  depots  in  Great  Britain.     On  their 
way  to  that  port  a  trial  of  speed  took  pHce  between  the  Niagara  the 
Agame^^on,  and  the  Susquehanna.     Properly  speaking  it  could'^ha'rdly 
be  called  a  race  for  we  were  all  so  confident  of  the  superior  merits  of 
our  own  vessel  m  point  of  speed,  that  we  looked  upon  Lh  a  thing  as 
oompetition  or  comparison  as  not  only  out  of  the  quesUon,  but  absolute^ 
preposterous.     True,  we  had  heard  a  great  deal  of  the  ^ualitieTof  te 
Agamemnon  under  sail  and  steam,  and  we  certainly  felt  no  i«,linat  on 
to  depreciate  her  either  as  a  sailing  ship  or  a  steamer;  but  a  tTe  2 
time  the  superiority  which  was  claimed  for  her  over  oilr  vessel  we  we"I 
not  prepared  to  admit.     W^were  told  that  she  was  the  "crack"  Tht 
of    he  British  fleet;   that\he  could  steam  -from  twe  ve  toWn 
knots  an  hour ;  and  that  she  was,  in  a  word,  the  fastest  pro^^l 

'  lltd  H  r"*r'  '"*"'"  '""'^  ^«*->^  withacert^Xeeof 
atUude,  and  while  we  listened  to  the  relation  of  her  wonderful  pTrtW 
ances,  our  opinion  of  the  Niagara  underwent  no  change.  The  frt  i  ™  ' 
I  have  «i.d,  that  we  felt  so  confident  of  the  superiorfty  of  the  nL^^ 
as  to  regard  «ch  a  thing  .,  *  trial  of  sp^ed  perfeoUy  prep^S^ 
There  was  the.^  literally  speaking,  no  race  between  the  two's Cf" 
several  reasons  :-in  Uk,  first  place  the  vessels  were  not  in  pfc^  trta  or ' 

deprivJI!  entirely  of  the  u«.W  our  fourth  by  the  prt,xinHV  of  tie  2! 
na^  i.  the  oo  Is  of  cable,  which  might  have'boen  Tmaged'by  tie  ht^ 
of  the  fires ;  and  m  the  third,  we  knew  that  the  Agamem^  h^  fr  J^ 

7^l:^:Tj:::rt  ^^  '-^  r  -^  ''^^^^^ 

'iJL»-ti7  ner  ttr  ibe^^worit^et^yiBg  ttr  great  wTEe.    Yet  I  are  no  — 


1    W  g? 


THE  HBST  ATLAimO  EXPEDITTON. 


153 


donbt  that  she  made  an  effort  to  outrun  us,  if  it  be  fair  t^nige  from 
her  increase  of  speed  and  the  indications  afforded  by  the  d^e  columns 
of  black  smoke  which  occaai<maUy  issued  from  her  pipes,  that  they  were 
piling  on  the  ooal  below..  This  is  not  all,  however,  for  there  was  still 
stronger  evidence  in  the  frank  acknowledgments  of  her  men  as  to  the 
great  qualities  of  the  Niagara,  and  the  astonishment  which  they  un- 
feignedly  express  at  her  speed  and  steadiness.  And  now  let  me  state 
what  it  was  that  caused  this  change  of  opinion  in  men  who  were  so  full 
of  praises  of  their  own  ship,  and  who,  with  a  pardonable  pride,  believed 
she  was  superior  to  any  other,  although  that  other  was  the  Niagara. 

.  The  day  on  which  the  cable  was  broken— that  ill-fated  11th  of 
August — some  experiments  were  tried,  all  of  which,  as  has  been 
stated,  proved  sucoessfuL  The  following  day,  Wednesday,  the  12th 
of  August,  we  were  on  our  way  to  Plymouth  and  desiring  to  keep 
company  with  the  Agamemnon,  we  kept  under  steam  alone,  while 
she  was  under  both  sail  and  steam.  It  was  not,  however,  till  the 
13th,  that  what  has  been  called  the  race  between  the  two  ships 
took  place,  and  then  the  &ot  is,  the  Susquehanna  was  the  only 
competitor  we  had.  About  10  o'clock  Captain  Sands  made  the  follow- 
ing signal  to  us: — "Going  to  Plymouth,"  intimating  that  he  was  bound 
for  that  port,  and  if  we  intended  to  keep  company  we  had  better  "hurry 
up  our  cakes."  We  thorou^y  understood  the  meaning  of  this  signal 
to  be  a  reflection  upon  the  speed  of  our  vessel,  for  on  board  of  the  Susque- 
hanna they  were  rather  inclined  to  depreciate  her  in  this  particular. 
They  had  been  taUdag  some  time  before  about  her  fiulure,  and  in  proof 
of  it  refiarred  to  the  length  of  her  passage  from  New  York  to  England. 
It  WM  Qpon  this  that  they  based  their  estimates  of  her  qualities,  and 
under  the  impression  that  their  own  was  her  superior,  they  gave  va  a 
challenge  in  this  indirect  way.  At  this  time,  that  is,  about  10  o'clock, 
the  Susquehanna  was  a  few  hundred  yards  ahead  of  us,  on  oar  starboard 
bow,  and  as  if  to  clear  up  any  doubt  we  might  have  had  in  regard  to  the 
signal  being  a  ohallenge,  she  slowed  down  until  she  was  lig^t  abmm  with 
our  ship.  In  reply  to  tha  signal  of  Captain  Sands,  Captain  Hudson 
made  the  following }— *'  We  oan  only  use  two  boilers,  in  oonseqoenoe  of 
cable." 

Only  two  boilers  were  in  use,  but  as  a  portion  of  the  other  two 
ooidd  be  used  without  risk  to  the  cable,  we  also  got  them  under  steam, 
so  that  three  boilers  may  be  said  to  have  been  in  qwration. 

There  wasiw  doobt  oo'the  Busqndtanna  that  they  were  certain  of  becfe> 
ing  us,  and  although  laboring  under  all  the  disadvantages  already  referred 

in  iM^  ^*Mi>  i1  fil  ■■■■sr*-*'*^  ka,  Irtarai*  ♦Kaiy  t\yinfl  ft.nrt  TVinii^n  f.nrtiTl  fi\y  ♦■tMHy 
wxTt     nw    nmWJf  iiTrifTmiMM™!     mO  -AVW-O*    VmMSXX  y**mc  PIJIU  -  xnUUStt  nBUtU    -IMt  TwIITIMl  ~~ 

pvsomption.     It  most  be  rwncmbered  that  we  bad  the  cable  g«ard 


154 


THE  OCEAN  TELBGBAPH. 


1^ 


U 


■ 


attached  to  our^  stern,  that  we  were  below  our  regular  bearings  with 
the  cable,  and  that  we  had  but  three  boilers  in  use ;  while  the  Lsque 
hanna  was  .n  admirable  condition,  and  there  is  no  doubt  was  undlr  a 
fu^i  head  of  steam  when  she  dropped  down  and  came  abeam  with  the 

fh  f  r!,'  u  '"""  "'  '^'  ^'"^  *''**  P°''*''^°'  ^"^  ^^e«l«.  ^'hich  before 
this  had  bemg  going  at  an  ordinary  rate,  began  to  revolve  with 
accelerated  velocity,  and  finally  with  a  rapidity  that  cleared  up  what 
ever  doubts  we  might  have  had  of  her  intentfons.  All  the  Zls  tha^ 
were  of  any  service  were  put  on,  and  every  evidence  was  given  that  she 
was  doing  her  very  best  under  the  circumstances.  Her  rate  of  speed 
was  about  ten  miles  an  hour.  ^ 

All  the  steam  that  could  with  safety  be  used  was  raised,  and  we  also 

half-an-hour  the  Susquehanna  occupied  the  same  position;  so  that  her 
gangways  were  withm  our  line  of  vision  during  that  time.    We  had  not 

but  after  this  it  became  e .  .dent  that  the  gangways  wew  closing  upJ 

see  the  gangway  on  the  port  side,  or  the  side  next  to  our  ship.     It  wal 

2  her  fo"  !  '"\*''  ^-quehanna  gradually  began  to  fall  asfe™, 
uiUil  her  foreman   was  brought  in  a  direct  line  with  our  mi«en.     I„  a 

drZTd  ""?'  ""?'"'  '''  ''"'  ""^^  -  ^•-^  fr-  *he  time  ^ 
d  opped  down  and  came  abeam  with  us  she  was  about  half-a-mile  astel 
St  11  she  kept  at  it.  although  Captain  Sands  must  have  been  pretty  tS 
satisfied  regarding  the  comparative  merits  of  both  ships,    ^rom  t^" 

o"i"th     A       *'•'  '''*  ''  "^'  *'^  ^^~-  «*"-«  t«  best  «r  Tt 
four,  the  Agamemnon  was  about  twelve  miles  astern,  and  the  Susqut 
Wna  about  five.     As  we  did  not  wish  to  run  away 'from  them  aZL 
iher  and  a.  Captain  Hudson  desired  to  keep  company  with  the  fon^S 

^t  fllrs  l^^'^'"  '"  -'"  '""^"P-  A^twWfive  mS 
past  four  the  Susquehanna  passed  us,  and  at  half-past-five  the  A« 
memnon  wept  by  us  under  sail  and  steam.  The  raC  wrotr  ^d 
Pl^T  ""  '^^^^^'  "  '"^'^  "«"*^  ^'^'  this  about  ;:'ngt 
'       Notwithstanding  all  this  the  Agamemnon  proved  herself  with  *n 

ut'rt::;^^  r :  '''•"'  «^«  ^^^"^'  »^  *«  whiehTe  ir'auo 

8ubjeot,both  a  good  -teamer  and  a  fast  ship.     She  could  hardly  be 
re^  different  models ;  and  the  only  wonder  is  that  any  doubt  could  Z 

TTu'J  T  "«*"*  ""  '^'"  «"''"*»-      Whatever  may  TsaM 
»bont  h^  .„l,ng  and  »toai.u.,  i>Hifti^,^opm^on  » ^^^^^ 


"m^'*-  '--^  ••  1*  ^ 


^    % 


v< 


THE   FIB8T  ATLANTIC  EXPEDITION. 


it    155 


finest  line-of-battle  ships  in^e  world ;  and  it  '\s  no  wonder  that  she 
ia  the  pet  of  the  British  navy  after  her  gallant  perfonnances  before 
Bebastopol,  when  she  distinguished  herself  by  the  fearlessness  with 
which  she  steamed  up  to  within  eight  or  nine  hundred  yards  of  the 
frowning  batteries  of  that  terrible  fortress. 

The  officers  of  the  Susquehanna  not  only  acknowledge  that  their 
ship  was  well  beaten,  but  express  their  belief  that  the  Niagara  is  one  of 
the  swiftest  yessels  in  the  world — that  she  is,  in  fact,  witho^  an  etjoal. 
Since  their  conversion  we^a^jfd  pardoned  them  for  their  presumption  in 
thinking. that  they  could  beat  us,  and  accept  their  voluntary  praises  of 
the  Niagara  as  a  proof  of  their  sincer'ty.  There  is  no  dpubt  whatever 
that  the  long  passage — a  pasai|ge  which  was  made  under  the  most  un- 
favorable circumstances — of  our  shuhfrom  New  York  to  London  in  April, 
1857,  disappointed  every  one  regarfflng  her  ch^acter  as  a  steamer  and 
sailing  vessel ;  but  those  who  knew  her,  and  who  have  witnessed  her  per-  \ 
formances  under  all  circumstances,  are  satisfied  that  she  will  realize  thk. 
high  expectations  that  were  formed  of  her. 


ABRrVAL    AT    PLYMOCTH. 


The  Niagara  arrived  at  Plymouth  gn  the  13th  of  August,  1857^ 
where  she  remained  till  the  5th  of  November  following,  when  she  sailed 
for  New  York.  Mr.  Field  had  arrived  8ometim^J>efore,  and  had  called 
a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Directors  at  Londolli,^at  which  Mr.  Everett 
and  the  commanders  of  the  expet^tSon  were  present.  The  result  of 
these  meetings  was,  that"  ^r.  Everett  was  requested  to  examine  and 
report  upon  the  form  of  machinci''y  best  adapted  to  secure  the  success 
of  the  next  expedition. 

While  occupying  this  position,  he  was  literally  dgluged  with  plans  of 
proposed  maohines,  suggestions  in  regard  to  the  laying  of  the  cable,,  and 
advice  from  erery  quarter  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  work  should 
be  performed.  Some  of  those  correspondents  offered  their  suggestions 
and  advice  without  hope  of  pay,  or  at  least  without  saying  any  thing 
about  it,  but  it  must  be  confessed  that  the  majority  were  worldly  ipinded 
and  looked  after  the  almighty  dollar.  M|ichiues  of  the  mostremarkaUe 
stniotore  were  |»«sented  on  paper  for  consideration,  accompanied  with 
detailed  descriptions  and  explanations  covering  who}e  reams  of  foolscap. 
Take  them  all  together  they  Wore  rich  specimens  of  literature,  and ' 
should  not  be  allowed  to  pass  into  that  obscurity  to  which  the  efforts 
of  aspiring  genius  are  so  often  consigned. '  They  were  from  clergymen, 
jMrtiHtHj  luanbfcnitw^  angintw^ra^  anilnrH^  HoldJerH,  offioem,  and  gcntlrtften  of 


kisare— that  is,  those  who  are  supposed  to  have  plenty  of  money,  and 


156 


THE  OCEAir  T^JjBGBAPH. 


plenty  of  time  to  speud  it  in.  The  foUowing  \b  one  of  the  Toluntaer 
ietters  and,  u  wiU  be  seen,  the  Buggeations  which  it  contains  are  the 
joint  p^duction  of  two  parties,  although,  according  to  the  laws  of  the 
ohttpoh,  they  should  properly  bo  regarded  a«  one  :— 

tJll^'Z^^^T^  \^^  ""^^^  T  l'"^.''"*  "''«''*'  ''«"'«  brother  was  in 
^Jf^HL^  depositing  you,  Atlantic  telegraph  rope,  when  she  sug. 
&L7l  aJ''^  ''°^^**  not  hare  difficulties  ^h  the  currents,  whi4 
she  had  heard  her  kte  brother  speak  of  as  interfering  with  th^sZd 

^f  i*,f?f?»»*«Jj^«'^«k  me  that  you  were  beginidng  at  tSe^na 

5^'i-^^*'^'°™«^*'«'*°°  tJ'^  <«>°'»^e,  or  inside  of  t^<^e  ot 
d^ndmg  rope  and  facilitate  its  deposit,  l^tead  of  aotiL  onX  oo^ 
vex  Side  and  tend  to  throw  it  dowTit  cunre«  Irii  a  kS 
longer  lengttia.  necessary.  If  there  be  weight  in  thislZTstionTd 
Sh^frd  to  2?o^'""*°  *°^'  *^«  "'^"^  *  y^^  vesseTKS  c'uHe  • 

cu^ent,  and  its  ..f^^Xp^t^^^'  .^f^^eL^lhelat 
and  the  direction  of  the  current  at  different  depths,  «*^^r«le  iem 
and  thus  get  across  with  the  shortest  possible^  iSoSnt  of  XaTd 

Whatever  "  weight »  there  may  be  in  the  suggestions  of  this  oorr^ 
^ond^t,  he  IS  certainlj^entitled  to  the  credit  oTT^inality.  and  itTto 
be  hoped  that  in  the  laying  of  the  next  cable  the  e^eerf  wm  Uve^ 
proper  regard  for  the  concavity  and  convexity  of  ZL.e  of  th^  L 
sending  ro^  and  the  northward  tendency  ^f  the  Gulf  Stre«n.    B^ 

here  nianotK^ad  although  not  quite  «,  clear  aa  that  already  gif^ 
still  It  IS  a  remarkable  production :—  ^  *  ^ 

timrtS'^o™*^!:? :ri|?,*  *"  "«8«^  *«  T^  «o«™  *«  fact,  a. 
yoVaSt^erv'difl^J      "  T^'u'"^  ^"  «^«'*™  «»W«  «»«»Plet«  tffl 

J^u-aXJe^Tbl^^^^^  .Tl^ild^- 

more  knots  may  be  found  tii^     Tfcio  t         -j  fno*.  »nd  many 

■aieiy,  without  strain,  the  cable  in  a  direct  line  withnnt  .»,-.-/   -^ 
angles,  at  a  greater  savinir  in  cost     T-^i  ^»"«>w  "J  wa»te  u 

jniTtice  to  myS"        ^  I  will  say  no  more  at  prw»n*  in 

Every  one  who  reads  the  fore^ing  will  no  doubt  appreobt.  tl» 
«n«,  of  j„rt,ee  by  which  the  writi  w«  actuate d.  dthoS^i^ 


*^X, 


♦o         ■  -^  ■ 


f  >« 


t 


TUE  FIK8T  ATLANTIC  EXPEDITION. 


15T 


;  L, 


'*^, 


«l88Jiy  on  8o:ne  subject  that  was  supposed  to  have  an  intimate  connec- " 
tion  witb  tin  enterprise.  Of  this  character  was  one  which  g^ive  some 
curious  particulars  conderning  the  habits  of  wh?'  .^,  and  all  of  which 
was  intended  to  show  how  much  easier  the  cable  could  be  laid  by  the 
plan  proposed.  Conspicuous  among,  the  applicants  figured  a  clairvoyant, 
who  expressed  a  strong  desire  to  be  employed  by  the  compsuw  for  ^ 
proper  (Sonsideration,  in  return  for  which,  she  engaged  in  cases  Streak 
of  continuity,  to  tell  exactly  in  what  part  the  break  had  occurred,  and 
in  tHe  event  of  fracture  of  the  cable,  where  the  end  could  be  found.  All 
these  disinterested  applicants,  clairvoyants,  inventors  and  all,  were  sum- 
marily di^osed  of;  but  not  at  all  discouraged,  they  kept  up  their  ap- 
plications and  cprrespondence  to  the  end,  and  some  even  threatened  to 
sue  the  company  if  they  did  hot  adopt  their  suggestions.  It  will  be 
strange  hereafter  if  some  of  them  do  not  lay  claim  to  the  credit  of  hav- 
ing invented  the  machinery,  and  seek  to  deprive  Mr.  Everett  of  the 
&me  to  which  he  is  so  justly  entitled. 

Mr.  Evwett  having  signified  his  intention  of  complying  with  the  re- 
quest of  the  Atlantic  Tele^aph  Company,  associated  with  hijnself 
Messrs.  Penn,  Lloyd  and  Field,  three  English  engineers  of  high  reputa- 
tion, with  whom  he  conjointly  made  the  following  report : — 

*  • 

IiOin>ow,  SspTBirBiB,  1857. 

GiNTiBMKN  : — Having  cxajpined,  agr  jeably  to  your  request,  the  ap 
paratus  and  arrangements  on  board  the  N^iagara  for  paying  oti' 
Atlantic  telegraph  qable,  ai^gjyen  the  whole  subject  our  carefu^ 
sideration,  we  l^  to  lay  bewwfjfpu  the  conclusions  at  which  wo 
arrived. 

We  consider  the  paying  out  sheares  require  no  alterations  except 
those  Suggested  by  Mr.  Bright  in  a"  memorandum  which  ho  was  good 
enough  to  place  in  our  hands,  a  copy  ofei*|ch  wc  wpend,  namely : — To 
have  one  groove  only.  In  each  of  the  HhraVes,  to  make  the  ^j<^  deeper 
and  wider  at  the  periphery,  and  fit  them' with  guards,  t^feprent  the 
cable  coming  off,  to  syjiply  scrapers  for  removing  ^e  tar  fj-orfrpK  grooves, 
and  to  inijce  the  circumference  of  each  suocesaivFsheave  which  the  cable 
passes  over  as  much  larger  than  the  prTOcdrng^one  as  the  tfable  is  found 
to  str'etch  by  the  application  of  the  increa^ng  strain  which  it  has  to  b^r 
in  passing  round  the  several  sheaves  when  it  is  being  paid  out  with  the 
maximum  ritrain,  and  thus  greatly  diminish,  orperhaps  entirely  obviate,, 
the  slipping  of  the  cable  on  all  the  shelves.  We  may  add,  that  vpa,seo 
no  reason  why  this  apparatus  should  no£  also  bo  used  for  hauling  in  the  .  f. 
cable  when  necessary,  if  sufficient  engine  power  be  provided  lor   that 

The  moat  important  consideration,  however,  to  which  wo  have  di- 
rected our  attention,  is  how  to  guard  against  the  strain  being  brou^ 
on  the  cable  while  paying  out,  greater  ^an  it  is  considered  capablea^ 
"^"fwifing  witbout  Ksi  Ofclamiige-Stfia^-ls,  taring  dotcnnincttfiri 


A 


1  ,'i| 


1  I 


I 


TBHEi 


/ 


158> 


J'..,, 


operation   «muUaneo^«br, ,  f  Quld  ,  oth«wTeS^/^St  tti 

recomjiffend  for  this  purjAeill'^ki 

of  two  others,  moving  ith%  si.ftg^^egn. 

"  diftppter,  and  h'ayiag  %ir'^b^is'|%Sa<'« 

n  m#es  wide;  each  bra\e  to  be  cabbie  of 

^  both  may  be  m  operation  togethel-  if  foUnd 

;l«  constructed  on  the  plan,\patented  some 

inches  broad  aqd^  half  an  in(&  apart,  and  im- 
^  A  their -diaineter  in  oiat^ns-irf.  salb  water  it 

.KLSn'^tlirof intHraS^S^ir""-     ^I'^%P'^^'i'«  brake 

on  iho  deck  (hroiurh  iT^T^l  '  ^    i       arranged  to  movQ,  horizontallv 
.tron,  .prtgs'Jrv^tad^fll^^^^^^^  ^{  ^'t  ''•"*'""  «'' 

that  on  the  steru  of  tfo  ^hin  w^Turd  h^  r!.U.  Tp  ^^\  ^^  P^'"g  «^«' 
ties  of  strain  to"  which  ftSldthorwjT  ^IT  ^^'  Sreatinequalf- 
of  tins  sheave  would  at  a  I  timet  ft  e.,  ret'  'a^^T'  '""^  r'^'  P««^"^'«° 
strain  on  the  cable-a  itlatti  of  tL  „f  ^  ?  ^nd'Pat.on  of  the  niaiinuHn 
upon  it  should  depend  tatjulmkfStheBr"'^  to  b^tnown,  as 
for  ensuring  the  safety  of  thi  cabi  rtsolf         ^'  '"^  ''^''  '^''"'^'"^ 

in  <^'3:m:::Iz;!z  t^'^^'  '"^«  «p-«*-  ^«  -^-ed 

in  deep  water,  VouldTn  I^^  probabttrL'-^"'^''"^^'".*^^  ^^'^^'^  '''^^ 
ingly  doubtful  whetlier  Z  eabt  co  H  K        P'"'"^^'' •'*  ^^'^g  e^°e«- 


n'e  ^now  bcgW^r  some,  observations  on  m J 
of  comf^rat.vely  minor  impo^nce,  oughT'n  onr Tr 
^n  order  to  ensure,  as  far  as  may  L  prar«cabfe^ 
ft       i"f  r  •""^'^^'  ere^'>  -^d  difficult^   CO  reciS 
wedt  r  r  '".'"r^'i:^  t^^  «P^^  of  the'ehi  ani  tS 
Sm^t;    ded*  X'^Zr.TouC''.  "^"^^^  -^^IP^^.  whole 


m  a 
We 

Springs 

-with 

'greatly 

intended 

although 

ittendcd 

of  an 

should 

^:xun,  as 

t^  whole 


W 


■•"i^"" 


\^!-'-'"i 


TirE   FIE8T   ATLANTIIO  'EXPEDITION. 


159 


■P": 


i'.'^. 


^ 


may,  wc  think,  be  regulated  with  considerable  exactne*  and  the  excess, 
we  venture  to  suggest,  should  not  be  less  than  ouo-thirrf.     Thia  appears 
to  be  the  only  means  of  allowing  the  cable  to  sink  into  the  hollows  at 
Ihe  bottom  of  the  sCa,  iugtead  of  hanging,  as  it  might  otherwise  Jo  in ' 
some  places,  in  long  loops,  supported  only  at  their  ends,  and  consequently 
having  ta  bear  strains  which,  if  not  at  first,  might  ultimately  produce 
fractr*  when  the  strength  of  the  iron  wire  became  impaired  by  oxida-    ■ 
tioo.     All  thejnachiuery  should  be  covered  by  a  kind  of  house  on  deck, 
to  protect  the  attendants  from  the  weather.     It   should  be  wx'll  lighted 
at  night,  and  proper  accomroodatiou  provided  for  the  men  when  off  duty. ,   > 
An  adequate  number  of  efficient  attendants  should  be  hired  to  superin- 
tend the  machinery,  who  should  relieve  each  other  at  short  intervals, 
and  rfie  greatest  care  should  be  taken  to  keep  all  the  indicators  and 
other  instruments  in  good  working  order. 

In  eonclilHion,  we  beg  to  Kay  thai  we  think  no  pcactical  difficulty 
would  be  found  in  carrying  out  all  the  mechanical  arrangements  we  have 
Suggested,  and  we  also  think  that  they  should  be  carried  out  under  the 
special  superintendence  of  the  officer  intrusted  by  the  company  with  the 
important  duty  of  laying  the  cabl^,  assjifln  by  the  most  able,  practical 
machinist,  who  may  be  willing  to  undertake  the  execution  of  the  work, 
who  should  nvake  an  experimentiashore  on  the  proposed  brake  as  soon 
as  one  can  be  finished,  and  such  other  experiments  as  he  may  deem 
necessary  to  enable  him  to  arrange  the  details  in  the  most  effectual ' 
manner.     Wo  are,  gentlemen,  your  very  humble  servants, 

T.  Lloyd, 

,,       „  .    Joshua.  Field,        ,. 

■''*'»--.■'.  John  Pk.vv,         ' 

^'  W.  E.  Everett.   , 


Alterations  recommended  to  be  made  in  the  Paying-out  Machinery. 

The  sheaves  should  tiave  single  grooves,  deeper  than  those  at  present 
fixed,  and  a  slight  differe^»o|gjiould  be  made  in  the  (lianieter  of  each 
8heave«||i^||^ji^JeajjiH^a  to'Sthe  stern  of  the  vessel,  and  the  smallest 
of  the  iTOSivel  leading  from  thqipdl.  By  this  the  adhesion  of  the  cable 
to  th^  'aneaves  will  be  oqai({<ieratty  Increased. 

(&Ouards  shouM  be  placed  at  tlie  lead  to  the  sheaves  over  the  grooves 
oafbible  of  being  re^ily  opened  to  put  ^  cable  in-  its  position,  or*tak6 
it  out  if  required,  and  scrapers  shouM  b^^rovide^  to  r^piowfe.  th<;  super' 
fluous  tar.  ^       tf  ^ 

Experiments  Bhomd  be  tried  in  thfe  lubricatigji  of  the  brakips  and 
_of  the  material  of  the  surfa<Ca3  in  couti^ct,  with  the' vio>v  of  obtaining  the 


fa<Cas  m 
houia  I 


moat  regular  drag. 

A  travelling  pulley  shoul^  bo  placedbctweon  the  stern  wheel  and 
the  payingwat  machine,  by  wjiich  the  iM'4nal  pullAccasioncd  by  the 
pitchiua  oP Itosvessel  will  bo  'uuch  reduced,/ akthp  same* tiflaev that  an 
additilly^aSKioa  is  given  of  the  straiCu^oFlM  cabyl^ 


JKiaHTT 


t 


X 


t   , 


■  r 


•  \ 


160 


THE  OCEAN  TELEGRAPH. 


.  Some  of  these  snggostions  were  adopted  by  Mr.  Everett,  but,  us  m»y 
be  seen  by  the  description  of  the  maohinery  employed  on  the  final  expe- 
ditron,  the  plan  adopted  and  followed  ont  was  almost  entirely  different 
from  that  which  had  been  used  on  the  first  unsuccessful  attempt. 

On  the  fifth  of  November,  as  has  been  stated,  the  Niagara  left  Ply. 

mouth  for  New  York,  but  it  was  understood  before  her  dfeparinre  that 

Mr.  Everett  should  take  charge  of  the  oonstruotion  of  the  machinery 

and  for  this  purpose  should  return  as  early  aa  possible  the  following 

year.    A  few  days  'before  the  departure  of  the  vessel  I  grand  ball  and 

entertainment  was  given  by  the  officers  to  the  nuiny  friends  whose  hos- 

pitality  they  had  enjoyed  while  in  England,  and  the  officem  themselves 

partook  of  a  sumptuous  banquet  which  Capt  Stewart,  of  H.  M  S  Im- 

pregnable,  gave  iA  their  honor.    Fifteen  days  after  leaving  Plymouth 

the  Niagara  arrived  in  New  York,  »nd  soon  after  was  put  out  of  com- 

m^sion  tiU  she  should  be  again  required  for  the  resumption  ^  the  meat  ' 

work  m  1858.  \^    * 


•...4-"^ 


iP 


id 

'. 

;!.■ 

■1- 

It 

:     S 

•  " 

,\ 

t 

•", 

* 

• 

V 

■i  ;■ 

— t-T 

i 

f 

i 

' 

" 

i 

• 

- 

,:% 

-^''  . 

■il 

mA^ 

■  ... 

jjtjH^ 

fe;-"  - 

' ■    '-i 

«>s-.»i%a 

MiMi 

asss^sriMKi:! 

«nri!ryte1fflt 

;  '1' !  ■■  ;,-, 

''r/; 

-r.h, 

, 

■■ 

mm^ 

-  . 

\  y' 


'^ 


THE  SECOND  ATLANTIC  TELEGRAPH  EXPEDmON. 

THE  NIAGARA  AGAIN  ATvPLTMOUTH, 

Thk  experience  which  had  been  gained  by  the  results  of  the  Expe- 
dition of  August,  1857,  led  to  many  changes  in  the  plan  of  operations 
for  the  expedition  which  was  to  sail  in  the  m«^toth  of  June.  The  ma- 
chinery, as  has  been  shown,  ha^  jproved  utterly  inadequate  to  the  per- 
formaijce  of  the  work  for  which  it  was  constructed,  and  it  was*  therefore 
determined,  as  the  reader  is  aware,  that  this  important  matter  should 
be  entrusted  to  the  skill  and  ingenuity  of  Mr.  W.  E.  Everett.  The 
vessels  which  had  been  detailed  for  the  layii^g  of  the  cable  before,  were 
again  detached  for  the  renewal  of  the  attempt.  Mr.  Field  had  accepted 
the  position  of  General  Manager  of  the  Company  at  the  urgent  solicita- 
tion of  the  Board  of  Directors,  and  the  services  of  Mr.  Everett  were 
also  secured  on  application  for  leave  of  absence  to  the  United  States 
Government.  Both  these  gentlemen  entered  upon  the  duties  before 
them  with  all  the  energy  and  zeal  which  so  great  a  work  demanded. 
Some  delay  attended  the  application  of  Mr.  Field  for  the  appointment 
of  the  Niagara;  but  that  point  satisfactorily  settled,. they,  started  for 
England  in  the  Persia,  on  the  6th  of  January,  1858,  and  arrived  at 
Liverpool  the  16th  of  the  same  month.  As  the  subsequent  move- 
ments of  Mr.  Field  are  given  in  detail  in  the  biographical  sketch  of  that 
gentleman,  we  will  proceed  at  once  in  our  narrative  of  the  Second 
A^^tio  ^^^^fi^  Expedition. 

^te^jjSppigate  Niagara,  having  received  her  complement  of  ofiScers 
and  m6^mrted  from  New  Tork  for  Plymouth  on  the  9th' of  March, 
1858.  'Asy/soiho  changes  had  been  made  in  the  appointment  of  the 
former,  the  following  list  will  enable  the  reader  to  recognize  the  names 
of  tnose^ho  were  re-appointed :— ^ 

Camj  Wm.  L.  Hudson;  Lieutenants,  .bis.  H.  North,  J.  D.  Todd, 

John  Gm^t,  Wm.  A.  Webb,  E.  Y.  MafMiley,  B.  Gherardi ;  Surgion, 

I?.  8.  Green;  Purser,  J.  Cj^ldridge;  ^^egjtoant  commanding  M^rme 

"ttenrd,  W&"fi7"5oya;   Fiiiea^Apsistanl^gf^^^^ 

Awiatant-Surgeon,  Wm.  0.  Hay;    GhkLj^gta&^l^^  folJu^abee, 


.#*%' 


y 


Ml 


I 


'^1 


n 


"*I1IF 


m 


THE  OCEAN  TELEGRAPH. 


■^.^ 


% 


'\?,: 


r 


,  J.  Farren;  First  AmBUmt'^^pS^^^m^^.  g^in ;  :1?econd  ABsist- 
1*  ant-Eng3Deer8,  G.  R.  Johnson,  M.  Kellogg^  Third  AsBistunt- Engineers, 
^..  Wm.«.  Uuchler,  Jas.   il.   Bailey/' j:  McElw^  11.  Kutz;  Cautain'a 
^l^-Secretary,  J.  W.  IludHon ;  Purser's  Ckrk,  Edw/td  Willard ;  Bo»t«Wain 
Jlobert  Dixon;  I  Gunner,  J.  Webber;  Sailmakei^,  W'm.  B.   Fugit;  Tar- 
^.enter,  H.  P.  Leslie;  Acting-Masteii's  MaU,  J.  W.  G6odrich,  W  W 
Brooke,  Stephei^B.  Hudson,  A.  M.  Reason,  i6.  Key  worth,  A.  Stockholm. 
The  Niaganf  arrived  a^  Plymouth  0/ the  23d  of  March,  after  a 
passage  of  a  Uttle  over  thirteiai  dak^s. /She  experienced  very  heavy 
weat%  during  the  greater  part  of  thejp/ssage,  and  never  did  she  display" 
her  spfcndid  qualities  to   better  adyladtagc.      From   the  « 9th   to   the 
lf.th  ^  was  unpleasantly  rough,  ai|l  of  Uie  IJJth,  14th,  and  15th  iLblew  a 
perfecJi  gale.     There  is  no  doubt  that  this  was  the  equlnocta|tnd  it 
did  full  justice  to  itself  so  far  as  heavy  blowing  is  ooncemed.      Those 
who  W  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  the  months  of  March  and  September  ' 
can  for*  spmeldea  of  the  nature  of  equinoctial  gales  and  of  the  terrido 
T  for<Je  with  fhich  they  sweep  over  that  ocean.     Under  the  heaviest  stress 

,         ,^of  weather,   however,   the  Niagara   behaved  magnificently,  and-^went- 
through^th.  storm  at  the  ra<«w)f  ton  and  eleven  Jcnpts  an  hour,  and  lis, 
too,  while  other'ships  w«!g  hoW      Her  ^kest  day's  run  was  three 
i^^^'i^'"  miles  and  tber»  is  ^o  d<«ibt  that  she  would  We 
accomplisbedfto  pasa^  ;„  t^a  *ays  but  fo^r  the  headwind*  which 
preva,led\fro«o  17th  to  the  22d.      During  the  g^Zhad  the 
wmd  from  ih^Bouth  and  squth-east,  from  which  it  (jhanged  to  the  east, 
and  stuck  therfe  j|P||.e  most  dog««^  obstinaoy^While  t)lowing  from 
#;       this  quarter  WftTa^  however,  na  l^plaiata  to  ^ake  in  Regard  to  the 
-        qnahtyofth,  weather,  which,  with  thi|^#' exception,  iTafl  Z  „ 
could  be  desired.  "W^V  ^ 

,     ■  A  rather  melancholy  cir^J^noe  ooottrrgd  when  the  Bhip"wi8  thrw 

<         days  out  from  port.     A  sa«in,g^  William  Wilson,  fell  from  the 
%    vJ^'jt^P/^^J^wa^^^ntlykiM^    IWb  supposed  tha^  he  was  struck  on 
^  ^.  the  head  with  a  boom,  and  waflhus  thrown  from  the  yard.     He  was  en- 
gaged  at  the  time  in  clewing  the  yard  down.     Another  death  took  place 
'        Jatei-xn  the  passage,  but  it  was  from  a  protracted  sickness.     The  name 
.      of  the  deceased  was  Samuel  Scudder,  and  the  disease  of  which  ho  died 
^        pleurisy.     They  were  both  buried  in  a  seaman's  grave,  and  had  the 
funeral  service  read  over  their  remains.    Poor  fellows,  whatever  pleasing 
,       prospects  they  may  have  had  when  they  entered  on  this  special  service 
^     were  doomejl  to  a  fearful  disappointment.     One  man  fell  over  the  fore- 
topsail.yard,  but  fortunately  was  caught  by  another  who  waa  on  the 
'""'"  y^^'  and  held  there  tiU  he  waa  relieved  from  his  perilnn. 


jppiliiiu. 


X 


•f 


TEra  BBOOND  ATLANTIO  KXPKMTION. 


168 


/ 


The  Ni^ara,  aa  I  have  said,  arrived  in  the  channel  opposite  Ply. 
moutli  on  the  night  of  the  22d  iustant,  and  entered  the  Sound  the 
following  morning.  Hardly  had  she  anchored  before  a  number  of  the 
officials  of  the  place  made  their  appearance  on  board,  and  among  these, 
strange  to  say,  two  revenue,  officers.  What  their  object  could  have  been 
in  thug  thrusting^omBelve*  on  a  national  vessel  of  another  country, 
and  outraging  the  rules  of  intematiubJtl  courtesy  it  is  impossible  to  say', 
but  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  their  conduct  in  this  instance  was  attributa- 
ble to  ignoranofr— certainly  the  only  r^nable  explanation  that  can  be 
given. for  such  a  breach  of  all  the  rtdes  of  international  etiquette. 
After  making  their  abode  on  the  ship  for  about  two  days,  they  took 
their  departure,  and  that  was  the  last  we  saw  of  diem.  The  Niagara- 
>y  m  th9  Sound  till  the  24th  instant,  when  she  weighed  anchor 
and  proceeded  up  the  harbor,  preparatory  to  gding  intb  dock  for  tii^ 
reception  of  the  cable.  After  her  arrival  the  numerous  friends  which 
the  loffioers  made  during  their  stay  here  the  year  before,  paid  a  wel-  "" 
oome  visit,  and  again  teaiered  their  hospitalities.  Invitations  Were 
exjmded  by^  nearly  all  the  regiments  stationed  at  this  port  to  the' 
(Mflps  of  the  Niagara.  I  should  state  here  that  as  an  evidence  « 
of  »e  friendly  feelings  which  were  manifested  towards  them,  all,  or 
nearly  all  the  Vessels  lying  in  the  harbor  cheeted  them  as  the  ship 
passed  up  to  her  anchorage.  The  rigging  of  the  Impregnable  and  other 
ves^ls  were  manned  by  their  crews,  who  gave  throe  cheers  that  waked 
all  the  slumbering  echoes  of  the  surrounding  hills.  The  wai^e  Was 
responded  to  with  an  enthusiasm  on  the  part  of  the  Niaffa/^f^Blen 
which  proved  that  they  were  determined  not  to  be  outdMj^^^UB 
demonstration  of  friendly  feeling.  fi^^^ 

Besides  the  attentions  which  the  officers  received  from  their  friends, 
they  were  honored  with  others  of  the  most  pressing  character.  The 
♦tt^Toom  was  almost  literally  deluged  with  circulars  and  business  cards 
of  e^iy  description.  Tailors,  shoemakers,  washerwomen,  hotel  keepers, 
hatters,  &c.,  &&,  were  most  assiduous  in  their  attentions  and  soli- 
citations for  patronage.  Among  the  business  applications  was  the  follow- 
ing gem,  which  is  worthy  of  publication  on  this  side  of  the  ocean: 

"  Mr.  Wm.  H.  Weatcott  (pupil  of  Conlon  and  nephew  of  Mrs.  Wil- 
liams, the  QctagonJ,  professor  of  dancing.  Princess  street,  Plymoutfi, 
teacher  for  the  nobilities'  balls,  &c.,  bfigs  to  announce  to  the  officers  of 
the  nrtny  and  navy,  and  his  friends  generally,  that  he  continues  to 
receive  daily  adults,  irrespective  of  age,  for  private  tuition  in  all  that  is 
prevaUing-amODg  l^e  ^{«^" 


t'j 


Aa  oar  readers  might  imagine  tiiat  Mrs.  Williams  is  Uie  ootagon,  it, 


%< 


■m 


IS 


164 


THE  QOEAir  TBLEQRATH. 


may  be  as  veil  to  state  that  she  is  notluDg  of  the  kind,  bat  that  the 
pinrtioular  part  of  the  city  in  which  her  ciephew  receives  "  daily  adults," 
and  teaches  "  all  that  is  prerailing  among  the  &Ue,"  is  dignified  with 
that  title. 

It  was  rumored  that  the  Queen  intended  to  witness  the  departure  of 
the  telegraph  squadron  from  Plymouth,  bat  as  there  was  no  certainty 
aboat  the  matter,  and  as  many  of  us  natarally  felt  desirous  of  seeing  for 
ourselves  what  the  head  of  so  great  a  nation  looked  like,  a  nation  that 
was  to  be  brought  next,  door  to  as  by  tho  sucoeBsful  termination  of  the 
enterprise  iq  which  we  were  engaged,  we  were  determined  to  go  to  Lon- 
don and  see  her,  not  only  in  her  capital,  but  in  her  palace.  We  were 
desirous  of  secidg  a  real,  genuine,  bona-fide  queen,  one  who  wore  a 
crown,  for  though  wo  were  accustomed  every  day  to.«ee  sovereigns  in 
our  own  country,  they  were  without  that  indispensable  adjunct  of 
royalty. 

To  come  to  England  and  go  away  without  having  seen  the  queen  is  in- 
deed a  terrible  oversight,  a  crime,  for  the  commission  of  which  every  travel- 
ler from  the  United  States  must  expeet  to  meet  with  the  stem  censure 
of  all  those  curious  and  wonder-loving,  friends  who  expect  to  be  informed 
on  the  minutest  points.  Fortunately,  I  have  seen  the  qaeen,  and 
although  I  was  not  at  her  drawing-room^  nor  honored  with  an  introduc- 
tion by  our  minister-^for  the  simple  reason  that  the  favor  was  not 
requested  of  him — I  had  just  as  fair  an  opportunity  as  those  who  were, 
and  who  were  graciously  permitted  to  bend  the  knee  before  the  royal 
lady,  and  to  kiss  her  royal  hand.  By  the  kindness  of  a  friend  I  was 
placed  in  possession  of  the  following  ticket  of  admission  to  Buckingham 
Palace,  through  the  grand  hall  of  which  the  Queen  always  passes  on 
her  way  to  hold  her  drawing-rooms  in  St.  James's : 


\ 

;: 

: 


ADUn  TBJt  BXABIB  TO  TBI 

GRAND    HALL    ON   THUR8*DAYi 

Tho  22d  of  April,  1858,  at  a  quarter  past  one  o'clock. 

EXETER,  Lord  Steward. 

BoOKIMaHAM  PALAOX. 

*4,*  Therparties  are  to  retire  after  her  Majesty  has  passed. 


B'»3»J»j0'.'»  »  » iOoOr:OoOfi<o»T»TOnooorjOr)Ot)OoOrf»30r»»3< 


Provided  with  this,  I  i^tarted  out  at  least  half  an  hour  before  the 
appointed  time,  and  made  my  way  to  the  palace,  in  front  of  which  I 


arrifed  »boa¥  <niie  o^looL    The  next  point  was  to  nulKUoat  the  precise 


% 


^a^^ 
^^^^^^, 


'•i^'' 


THE  BBOOND,  ATLaNTIO  EXPEDITION. 


165 


part  of  that  building  to  which  it  would  Tord  me  admission,  and  whioh 
I  succeeded  in  finding  by  inquiries  among  the  soldiers  and  police.  The 
entrance  to  the  hall  waa  besieged  by  somewhat  over  a  hundred  anxious 
ezpeotanio,  a  large  majority  of  whom  were  ladies,  and  each  of  whom 
posaessed^a  ticket  similar  to  the  above.  Few,  if  any,  of  these  had  ever 
8een.t.he  Queen  before,  and  it  waa  somewhat  amusing  to  hoar  the  B])ecu> 
lations  in  whioh  they  passed  the  time,  regarding  her  personal  appearance 
and  style  of  dress.  Some  had  heard  that  she  was  dumpy,  and  not  at  all 
like  a  queen ;  while  others  were  of  opinion  that  her  portraits,  so  far 
from  being  flattering,  did  not  do  her  any  thing  like  justice.  There  was 
one  who  did  not  appear  to  bo  imbued  with  the  proper  respect  for 
royalty,  and  who  insisted  with  a  democratic  persistence  that  would  not 
be  checked,  that  the  Queen  was- just  like  any  other  woman,  and  that  she 
could  indulge  in  a  glass  of  alo  as  well  as  the  next  one.  A  lady, 
who  happened  to.  hear  tho  remark,  and  who  was  standing  beside  the 
speaker,  manifested  considerable  indignation,  and  gave  a  look  that  ex- 
pressed, as  plainly  as  a  look  could,  that  the  aforesaid  speaker  was  "  very 
low."  .  Now,Vhether  she  was  indignant  at  tho  want  of -reverence  mani- 
fested by  the  remark,  or  whether  she  supposed  she  was  nieant  by  the 
"  next  one,"  I  am  unable  to  say,  and  will  not,  therefore,  venture  an 
opinion  on  the  subject ;  but  it  is  a  fact  that  she  was  very  indignant. 

A  quarter^^past  one  was  the  hour  specified  in  the  ticket  of  admission, 
but  it  was  nearly  half^past  6ne  when  the  door  of  the  grand  hall  was 
thrown  open — a  fact  whioh  shows  plainly  that  they  have  not  a  very  par- 
ticular regard  for  punctuality  in  a  palace.  However,  the  door  was 
opened  at  last,  and  that  was  something:  Two  of  the  officials  of  the 
Queen's  household  took  the  tickets,  and  we  were  permitted  to  enter  tho 
palace,  the,  majority  of  us  perhaps  for  the  first  time.  We  had  to  pass 
through  two  halls  before  Coming  to  that  which  is  called,  by  way  of  pre- 
eminence, Hm  grand  l|a^  1^4/''  ^  certainly  worthy  of  the  title.  All 
that  mairble  and  statttsffyufq  mirrors  and  fresco  painting,  under  the 
hands  of  ingenious  archid)Jts  and  artists  could  do  to  make  it  magnifi-, 
cent,  has  been  done.  ,The  only  drawback,  perhaps,  is  the  insufficiency 
of  light,  and  this  want  divests  it  of  half  its  beauties.  The  palace  itself 
is  a  splendid  structure,  and  is  deserving  of  all  that  is  said  for  it  in  the 
guide  books  of  London. 

Bat  here  we  are  in  the  'grand  hall,  with  servanta  in  knee  breeches 
an4  red  coats  glittering  in  all  the  efiulgence  of  gold  lace,  hovering 
about.  ;Among  those  same  servants  is  a  very  dignified  old  fellow  in  a 
blue  coat  with  brass  buttons,  a  white  neck-tie,  and  a  waistcoat  of  the 
same  color — a  terribly  pompous  individual,  who  holds  his  head  so  high 
Quit  it  is  only  lyr  great  ezcrtioQ  he  can  see  any  one  near  him.    This 


t^ 


.■»iV»^:' ; 


166 


THE  OCEAIT  TEXEOi£aph. 


If    ■  • 


J 


•    character  is  no  loss  a  personage  than  the  master  of  the  outside  oeremo- 
nies,  which  signifies  that  it  is  his  duty  to  keep  the  crowd  in-order  and 
to  presenre  the  sanctified  decorum  of  the  place.     Show  th^  rii«ht&t 
indication  of  a  desire  to  go  any  farther  than  the  prescritedriimite,  and 
to  use  a  homely  but  expressive  phrase,  he  will  come  do^  upon  you 
hke  a  'thousand  of  brick."     He  is  a  rough  customer-so  rough  that  it  is 
a  wonder  somebody  don't  put  him  in  mind  of  it  by  an  occasion*!  casti- 
gation.     His  treatment  of  ladies  is  any  thing  but  courteous;    and  the 
exhibition  he  made  of  himself  on  the  day  in  guestioj^was   not  of  that 
kind  which  one  would  expect  to  see  within  the  walls  of  a  pi^ace.    But 
perhaps  such  exhibitions  are  only  gqt  up  ht.  the  benefit  and  in^ruction 
of  jjlebeians  and  are  never  indulged  in  when  any  of  the  arislodraoy  are 
U.  h|s  immediate  neighborhood.     Ho  is,  however,  an  'efficient  character 
iniis  place  anc?  it  may  bo  after  all  that  this  roughness  only  arises  from 
his  strong  desire  to  perform  his  duty  to  the  utmost.  \  But  howfe^cr  strict 
he  may  be  m  this  particular,  the  cUims  of  friendship  lead  him  into  acts 
of  partiality,  which  show  that  he  is  not  altogether  a  Brutus  in  his  line. 
His  fwnds  and  favorites  came  in  for  the  best  seats,  and  those  -who  were  , 
strangers  and  who.  Ignorant  of  the  state  of  affairs  in  this  department' 

IrtS"!'  ""'^°'*^.  *^'*  '^'^  "'"'  °P°°  *«  '^^  «»ke,  were  very  «5on 
appri^d  that  presumption  of  that  kind  was  not  to  be  tolerated. 

What  are  you  going  to  do  there?"   he  said  to  three  ladles  who 

Zn  "wL'^'^ ^ "^* ''^" ^^ '^"'^  "^^^^ --; t 

Wueen.       What  arc  you  going  to  do  there  ?  "  « 

(';  Going  to  sit  down,"  wa»  the  very  natural  reply 
.    TW' said  the  old  fellow,  "that's  a  good  fdea" 

xf  fte  didn  t  at  all  believe  what  he  said.    - 

tnnr.?r  ^'^  ^'t'    ^^'^  "^^  y'*"  *«  8°  *^«"  ?'"  he  rejoined  \^% 
tone  that  was  not  tp  be  mistaken.  ■    w«,  m  » 

'  Nobody, "  replied  the  Udy'in  a  mollifying  Wiy :'  «  but  I  wpnosed 
fleeing  others  go,  I  might  do  the  same  "         ^  T '  r    '       ^'K**^' 

CM  t.TUt'8  quite  another  thing.     You  can't  sit  there. «       » 

And  so  the  throe  wera  obliged  ^to  stan^  aside,  that  hi.  favorites 
migKbe  ^.oomniodated.  'Now,  i*  "lay  have  been  «U  ^y  weUfoTbm 
to  dmw  more  partiality. to' his  friends  fhan  to  .ir^^^^T^Z^Tt 

^   The  gpectators  have  token  their  places  in  frrat  of^lSkni  stidr.    " 

T  ^  ""^^"^  *^'  ^**"  •'  '""^"^^  *«  ^™«.  »d  JS%6  passes '" 
they  beoome  more  and  more  anxion*.    At  lart  he  royil  ,^tf^' 


«^ 


t 


■■> 


K    # 


I*  *► 


- 


V 


^ 


i> 


••5. 


THE  SECOND  ATLANTIC' EXPEDITION, 


167 


4f- 

eeen  approaching  through  the  court-yard,  and  one  of  them-  draws  up 
opposite  the  door  whiafi  opens  on  the  grand  hall,  ready-  to  receive  the 
sovereign.  It  is  a  fine  esti^blishment  in  its  way,  with  plenty  of  gold 
fringe,  and  royal  coats  of  arms,  and  small  crowns  and  other  regal  ap- 
purtenances. A  number  of  the  household  Kcrvants,  almost  covered  with 
gold  lace,  now  make  their  appearance,  and  flourish  around  the  hall 
through  which  the  ladies  of  the  court  are  continually  pa-ssing,  on  their 
way  to  St.  James's.  Some  of  i'yiese  ladies,  by  ^e  way,  ara-  remarkably 
handsome,  and  all  are  dressed  in  the  most  elaborate  stylo  of  orniimon- 
tation.  They  have -evidently  a  great  contempt  for  high-necked  dresses, 
if  their  feelings  are  to  be  judged  by  the  excessive  lowness  to  \?LicJ*  they 
have  attained.  Their  crinolines  are  wonders  i?i  their  way ,  and  excit(-d 
the  envying  admiration  of  the  fair  spectators.  But  tlie  Queen  is  said 
to  ^  on  her  way,  and  all  eyes  are  strained  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  her. 
P^haw  !  it  is  not  her,  after  all.  Jt  is  merely  a  gouty  old  lord,  \jfho  is 
making  his  way  slowly  down  the  grand  staircase,  and  who  has  been  mis- 
taken as  one  of  the  avant  couriers  of  her  Majesty.     Five  nlinute.^  more 

"^aps<i,i|Jid  the^rowd  is  becoming  still  mofo  impatient.  Now,  however,  she 

1b  cettiinly  coming — no  mistake  this  limft — here  is  a  forerunner  whose 
particular  duty  it  is  tojlprepare  the  way  for  her  approach,  and  here  are 

"six  gentlemen,  some  of  tbem  with  stars  oft  their  breasts-^thc  sign  .which     • 
indicates  the  difference  between  a  lord,  a  marquis,  or  any  other  member       • 
of  the  aristocracy,  and  a  common  man— ^hero  are  six  of-  them  coming 
down  the  grand  stairs,  and  according  to  the  rule  ftiade  and  provided  in 
such  cases  the  Queen  must  soon  make  her  appearaace,     As  "the  fore- 
runner and  the  six  just  ref'jrred  to,  who  ajpi  dressed  in  something  that 
looks  like  a  military  costume,  s,  nw  theit^ves,  the  laokoys  at  the  foo) 
of  the  stairs  and  in  the  hall  become  wonderfully  active,  and  say  some- 
thing in  a  loud  voice  which  soands  like  the  words  "stand  up,'  and 
which,  it  is  to  be  presumed,  is  intended  for  thoijpcctators.     However,  I  "    <y 
,iam  not  certain  as  to  the  words,  and  will  not,  therefore,  certify  to  them, 
nol^oreAban  I  would  to  the  announcement  made  by  the  braketnen  on 
railroadpj'when  they  intend  to  inform  the  passengers  that  thcyhave  ar- 
rived  ^t  a  particular  station ;  but  I  do  know  this — and  the  ftict  may  bo 
taken  as  presumptive  evidenco  on  this  point*— that  the  spectat'drs  did      , 
"stand,  up,"   and  remained  standing   till  she  passed.     The  six  mar-      -  • 
quiws,  or  lords,  or  sirs,  or  wbatovfer  they  are^hav*  arrived  safely  at  the 
fbot  of  tho'^tah-B,  and  tjjc  Queen,  leaning  oij  flie  a*rm  oWriuce  AlbertJ     '  . 
appear*  on  the  landing  above. '  Tbere  she  is  fiVlast,  the  ruler  of  the      $ 
Englinh  people,  the  sovereign  of  t|i-eat  Britain,  and  oCc^lonial  posses- 

'  Bions  whofc  ettent  exceeds  .th*Uerritori(«  of  any  other  nation  in  th^ 
world..   There  she  ia.  a  low-'siz^,  and  so  £>r  as  you  can  judge  oj^j 


A'V 


^    A 


't 


¥ 
■^ 


....      ,.  .  t. 


■>A, 


168 


THE  OCKAJf  TELEOKAPH. 


■^-' 


\fjf' 


If-," 
It 


.\ 


li>-v 


figure,  enveloped  in  a  crinoline  tJmf  -R-^^-i         •     • 
,     roundabout  liule  woman,  iu  who,,  11  "     l»,>ble  to  equal,  .  da»py, 

.ko  attribute,  of  ,„a,.,,  .  U  i.  pHt  It     t:."'  T,  f" 

portraits  flatter  her  is  downri.,),^  oK.  j-.  °,  '-'''®-  ^^  say  that  her 
-they  have  n.ade  a  goodloS/wo"^^  '''^'^  '"""  ^^^  ^^^  "^^ 

below  it,  so  that  thoseTho  have  17 T^  '  ""''''''  "^"^^'^  ^'«*«i«  "^ 
to  who  il  is.  intend  J  on  Nw  " 'L?:^  "^'^  "^.^«^^^"  ^  "^-^ 
b«  historically  accurate  althZh  !f  T   ^  '  description,  I  wish  to 

royal  lady,i/«he  eTr.T:t:l^irLT  ''""  ^°  '""''  *^^"^« 
the  volun.  in  which  this  aecfrrpub^i"  V'-""'  """ 
therefore,  to  historical  accuracy,  let  me  X  in  the  fi  ^"^'"^  f  "°*^^' 
stature  of  the  Queen  is  conside  ably TeW  the  Id  .f  "u'  ^'^'^  ^'^^ 
so  decidedly  not  handsomPtJ.^f  t        T  ^^'^'""'  *'"'*  ^^'^  ^''ee  is 

.      To  ofeot  this,  howeven  i^  1-d  th  ?  /  !'^'^''^-«^'P«-*-%  ordinary. 

pleasant,  the  expression  it  assumes^  orthr     .  ^'''^'^'^^'^  to  bo  un- 
acter.     On  this  head  I  do  n  H  ofoss  L  L  ""P'-?^-'^«-°g  «har- 

reliable  iafocmation  as  it  is  nh\!.     /,!     \'°  P"'"'''''^"  «^  ^'^^  °i°«t 
scribing  the  Que  n";  Isona?  ^^'    ''  ^"""^  ^'"^y-     ^^  ^'■ 

her   to'  .y  ^eX  C si     ET  '"^  'T.'  "^^'^  ^^P^-* 
fore,  be  accused  of  wrilrwit .  .•"'';  ^"^  ^  """«*   "'>*•  ^J^^^e- 

who  have  written  ab  ut  W  h     ^?     '"'  ""^-     ^'^^  *■-' '«'  *l^'>Be 
partia^tyorpreJudi^rtif^oXrafel 

.  twfg  any  thingr:r;;ior:a3thtr  ^r  ^^  'r^ 

a  grand  t^in,  wh Lh  ^  «ptldTT'*' "''*'"''^-     I**«^i-tedin 
feUows,  about' twelve  ^rdd      On  hTr  ^T^', ^'^^^"ooking  Ihtle 

thi.,  and  you  fdt  i,  loZnT  I  "*t  T  ''  ^^''"*^  ^^^'^  ^^  «ff»- 


,  *    . 


<'3 


\ 


THE  BECOND  ATLAKTIC  EXPKLITION. 


169 


Vfti^^ 


y. 


that  ever  sat  upon  a  throno  cannot  be  denied.  In  fact,  it  is  this  leading 
point  in  her  character  that  has  gained  her  the  affection  of  her  people  ;  "" 
for  virtue  in  royalty  is  so  rare  a  thing  that  it  on  never  be  t'ui  highly 
prized.  The  Court  of  Queen  Victoria  is  in  striking  eoiitrasi 
with  the  Courts  of  many  of  those  who  have  sat  on  the  same  throno 
which  she  now  occupies.  In  this  regard  she  is  a  most  exemplary 
woman,  and  to  this  is  owing  the  title  by  which  her  peopk;  delight  to 
call  her.  It  if  particularly  pleasing  to  be  ^ble  to  speak  in  this  way  of 
any  woman,  and  to  have  it  in  one's  power  to  state  a  fact  that  no  want  of 
percioual  beauty  can  affect,  and  that  cannot  be  compensated  for  by  any 
amoliut  of  attraction.  While  on  this  subject,  let  iie  relate  a  little 
an«edorte  which  I  have  heard  here  regarding  the  Qufeen,  and  wliich  is 
said  to  be  perfectly  true.  It  appears  that  during  ttne  of  Eer  visits  te 
her  country  seat  on  the  Isle  of  Wight,  tho  -PriucQ  hi  *v/ales  got  into 
a  difficulty,  which  resulted  m  his  being  whipped  by  a  little  fellow  less  than 
his  own  age.  His  assailant  was  amusing  himself  in  loading  a  miniature 
carl  with  sand,  when  the  Prince  approaching  threatened  to  kick  it  over. 
"  Do  it,"  said  the  boy,  "  and  it  '11  be  wc«;gi|?for  you." 
True  to  his  ^<■  ..rd^  and  undeterred  by  the  thfcat,  4he  scion  of  royalty 
did  upset  it  Mth  his  foot;  and  true  also  to  hiif  promise,  the  boy  did 
make  it  «  orse  for  him.  The  overthrow  of  the  caff  wns  th6  signal  for  a  . 
fight,  in  which  the  Prince  came  off  second  best,  and  was  swt  home  with 
tears  in  hi«  tyes.  When  brought  before  the  Qftpen,  however,  he  told 
ifhtt  had  actnally  happened,  what  he  had  done  to  provoke  the  boy  and  , 
to.  bring  on  hia  own  punishment.  Tho  royal  iWother  hereupon  sfnt 
for  the  little  fellow,  who,  finding  out,tb«  full  extent  of  what  he  had  doie, 
was  terribly  frightened.  When  he  made  hi8>ppearanco,  however,  sho' 
spoke  to  him  kindly,  said  he  had  dond  right,  and  riftignanimoiwly  proyideld 
for  his  education  and  support  at  her  own  expense,  on  iliseoveriug  thatkiV" 
parents  were  in  poor  circumstances.  A  woman  who  could  do  suoh  a^ 
act  can  well  afford  to  be  ordinary. 

Prince  Albert,  who  was  dressed  in  military  costume,  is  a  tail  and 
good-looking  man.      He  is  balifrom  the  top  of  the  forehead  to  near  the    '^ 
crown  of  the  head.     His  face  is  so  German,  that.it  wouhl  be  impossible  to  \ 
jiustake  his  nationality ;  in  fact,  both  himself  and  thii  Queen  look  al<>re#. 
German  than  Eflglish..    She  ^f  couHie  entolrod  the  carriage* first,  and    \ 
when  she  had  succeeded  in  adjusting ,  her  dress  as  well  as  she  could,  Ite*  \ 
took  a  seat  beside  her.     J3ut  that  dress,  with  such  an  amount  of  .rebel 
llous  uprising  crinoline  beneath,  Would  not  be  put  down,  and  would 
surge  and  boil  ove^n  evdfy  side  so  as  to  oompletely  envelope  tbo  lower 
hall  of  the  body  of  tho  Prince,  leaving  the  upper  part  alone  visible,  like 


^\ 


a  wax-wor^^tPBtiTra  faarbgr*rBhicp.  '  W1nni"Ttiey:werr  bom  wmeA,  me 


''a 


'<<, 


\ 


(J» 


170 


I J      <-' 

■«' 


THE  OCEAN  TELEOBAPH. 


;  royal  carnage  drove  off,  vnd  the  last  wc  Baw  of  the  Queen,  she  was  en- 

I^ou  d  Lke  to  Lave  «een  her  at  the  dfiawing-room ;  but  the  fact  that  I 

,    ^^  not  prepared  w:th  a  court  dress  proved  an  insuperable  bar  to  the 

indulgence  of  ujy  desire.  r  ,    w  lui, 

tors  lett  tl.e|,ala(.e.  and  once  more  made  their  way  into  the  open  street 
oppo.Ue  the  park.  Here  thc^e  was  a  considerable  military  f  re  tt 
Ijands  attached  to  which  we^  performing  the  national  anthem,  riong 
Z  "V""y^^«^  *  '^omm,  I  ms  informed-were  drawn  up  on 
one  .sulo  and  almo.st  blocked  up  a  number  of  the  contiguous  streets 
Amongthe.e  were  those  of  the  Ma.hal  Peliasier.the  Ministfrs  of  Austr  ' 
PrusMa  and  other  European  nations,  and  the  carriage  of  Mr  Dall^  o^r 

^r^ndV  n  'Z'  '\''  '''''''"■  '  ^^^'^"^^  ^'^'  -y  P-- 

f  f.t        '■'°^'"'^"  '"P"^"^^*^  *"  '''  the  ocpupants  of  any  of 
thee  e«tnbbsha.ents  and  particularly  do  I  regret  my  consequent  in 

Terr  O  "  ^^''"f  ,^^"-'-  ^"*  i^  I  ^^  «-  him,  IcouWnotlJe 
fld^J        ;".*'"""  ^  ""^'  '"^  whatever  consolatian  I  can. 

andthat^ass.moth,ng;  andas  people  may  be  curious  to  know  wha 
-k  nd  ot  a    arnago  ,t  .,,  they  must  be  informed.     Let  me  say,  then  at 

d  ?i  J  rn  1  "^"'f  ""*.'*■  ^*  '•*  ^'^'^f^  '^  v"^-!^  as  you  can  see  any 
dat  i«_B  oadway.  with  a  pair  of  fine  horses  attached  to  H.  a  driver  in 
Wry  „,  that  portion  whe,^  ^driver  generally  sits,  and  a  footX  aV 

s  a  sotr  ^'"•;.^^":  ''''"''''  '"^*  ^^"^^''"^  ^'^'-  The  fl4«;n 
^iJ  anJt  T^'  '"'  ^''^""^"■«'^"  ^--^glo  on  every  button,  and  both  him- 
self  and  the  drn-er  have  their  hats  set  off  with  a  gold  band  and  «  colk- 
.de  or  rosette^formed  of  the  A<neriean  colors.  \,n  the  oalgj  do^^ 

respectable  affa.r,  simple  and  unpretending.     And  here  I  must  dose 

gr     that  I  had  no   seen  Mr.  Dallas,  and  was  not  proviL  with  an  o,. 
port.u..ty  of  knowing  whetlier  ho  was  hat,ited  in  the  early  repubH^ 
£^  of  old  ^Ben  Franklin,  or  in  the  modern  costume  not  setSl  Z     ' 
Court  circular  of  the  late  m.  Maroy.  • 

Among^the  crowds  of  titled  fashionables  wh* visited  the' Nia«ifa 
Fov,o„,  to  her  departure  from  England  on  the  second  telegraph  eS 
tion  ware  the  members  of^  f„anly  which,  bat  a  fewyear^  li  we^  at 
th«  head  of  one  the  gre^jost  nation,  of  tW  world.  ,       f  ^         /^ 

Iheir  mtory  is  one  of  the  most.refoarkable  on  recoH,"  and  fiit- 
niidiei  another-proof  of  the  fact  that  there  i,  no  station  in  li/e  (JtZ 


,N 


■■'  '«*  '  '-V,    '„   ,*■'     n 


THE  SECOND  ATLANTIC  EXPEDnrON, 


'ft^ 


■'lU''- 


those  vioifisitudes  to  wliioh  royalty  and  pm-erty  are  alike  subject.  These 
illustrioui^Ssitora  .were  the  Prince  de  Joiuville,  the  Due  d'Aumale,  the 
Duchesso  d'Orleaus,  and  the  Duchess«  d'Auinalej  „the  exiled  members 
of  the  Orleans  family,  aQd  the  rival  aspirants  with  the  B  'urbofis  to  the 
throne  of  France.  Ti«y  came  unheralded  and  in  the  most  unostentatious 
manner,  and  durin^'iheir  stay  visited  every  part  of  thi;  ship.  The 
Ptfince  de  Joinville,  who  is  aufait  ia  naval  mattery,  is  a  man  forty-three 
or  forty-four  years  old,  about  six  ieet  two,  with  a  frank  and  intelligent 
countenance. /  Hewears'^a  heavy  pair  of  whiskers  and  mustache  of  a 
light  brown/ color,, dresses  plainly  and  neatly,  and  his  |l|f>earance  and 
maniifirs  are  those  of  a  refintnl  and  courteous  gentlemaji. 

The  Prince  de  Joinville   is,  as  almost  everybody  knows,  quije  a 
sailor,  and  I  startjed  all  England  ^y  a  pamphlet  which  he  wrote  some 
years  ago  ahowing  t^e  defenceless  state  of  her  coasts,  and  the  case  with 
which  an  efaemy  could' bo  thrown  upon  hor  shores.    .He  inspected  every 
p»rt  of  the  "ship,  under  the  guidance  of  Lieut.  G|»st,  who  was  at  the 
time  the  senior  oflBc(!r  on  bo^l-d.     The  en^nc  room%ttracte(f  l^ia  great- 
est attention,  and  the  rnimitenefes  with  which  he  examined  int'i  all  the 
dotailfrr— the  throttles,  the  cut-off,  and  all  those  mysterious  parts,  which 
are  knowti  only  to  the  initiated — shcftvcd  that  ho  was  thoroughly  con- 
versant witli  the  whole  subject,     ^ho  model  of  the  ship  particularly  ex- 
cited his  admiration,  and  he  was  much  pleased  with  ker  general  appear- 
ance.    He  appeared  to  be  thoroiighly  posted  in  regard  to  the  particular 
duty  on  ¥  hich  slie  was'  detailed,  ^d  expressed  his  opinion  prefty  freely 
upon  the  iatare«nd  character  of  the  enterprise.  ,  It  was  his  iBliuf  rhat 
the  cable  should  be  l^hter  than  it  ii,  and  that"  the  outer  covoriijg  or 
wire  armijr  should  bt  dispensed  wilh.     The  stt-cugth  which   it  rcoeivcJ 
from  this  was,  according  to  his  iobas,  n(^  sufficient  to  comp^'*te  fur.. 
the  disadvant^ige  arising  from   tJie  gr^Uy  increased  weight.     He  ac- 
knowledged that,  by  making  the  \im  without  tht;  wire  armor  it  J^ght 
becomes  too  buoyant ;  but  ht^  thouglit  this  difficaity  might  be  reinovif 
by  attaching  some  soluble  material  to  it  sufficiently  heavy  to  j?iuk  it  to 
the  bottom,  jwhere  the  cable  would  remain  even  after  the  material  itself  , 
should  h*ve  been  removed  by  the  action  of  the  water,     Ihe  Prince  had 
more  td  fifcy  on  all  subjects  than  any  other  of  /tho'party* 
■ '    The  Due  d'Aumale  appearn  to  be  some  fcfar  or  Ato  years  tiw  junior 
of  the  Prince  de  Joinville,  aiad  does  not  ev^  look  suffitiently  like  him 
to  be  of  (the  nanie  ffanily.     His  hair  is  of  a  'li|lit  red  color.,*f<o  are  bis 
^biakors]  and  he-^  less  iu  stature  by  alwut  three  inches.    Bo.th  broth'ers 
gpeak  Eiiglwib  witb  am  unmiSlakably  ^reijch  accent ,  but,  i^  this  ex- 
eeptiun,  ^LUey  speak  it  well  and  fluently:         ,  » 

Thfi  kdicfi  a|ro  both  elega^  and  distingui  looking,  rather  above  than 

^r_l 1 i . 4p ^^i ' ■ 


O' 


:'s^'* 


^% 


.a  ' 

". 

'.», 

*d 

9 

J&^SL 

A  I 


/■ 


iMi 


'•■■>i'j 


173 


THE  OCEAN  TELEOIOPH. 


HX. 


'  t. 


..■r 


telow  the  medium  height,  and  are  very  anassumfng  and  courteous 'in 
their  manners.     They  are  all  free  from  that  hauteur  and  reserve  which 
are  supposed  to  be  the  peculiar  attribute  of  royalty,  and  are  as  c''ordial 
as  frank,  and  as  sociable  as  the  mo.st  unpretending  republican  conid  be.  ^ 
On  leaving  tUc  ship  they  expressed  theraselvea  much  preased  with  all' 
,  they  had  seen,  thanked^  Mr.  Guest  again  and   again  for  his  kindnef-s, 
shook  hm.  warmly  by  the  hand  at  parting,  and  expressed  their  hope  in 
the  success  of  the  expedition.  '         •' ' 

INSPECTION  OF  THE  PAYmO-OUT  MACHINE. 
In  the  factory  of  Messrs.  Easton  &  Am*,  GraveJ  Lane,  London. 
Mr.  Everett  was  daily  fipd  nightly  engaged  in  amending  to  the  construe 
tio,:  of  the  paying-out  machinerj*;  and  when  at  last  after  weeks  of  un-  «• 
remitting  labor  it  was  ready  for  iuspection,  iuvrtations  were  sent  to  the 
following  gentlemen  :  (Captain  ihiAmu,  of  the  Niagara  ;  Capt.  Ge»rgo  W 
Preedy  of  the  Agamemnon ;  Cap.  J.  Dayman,  of  the  Gorgon ;  Mr.  Joshua 
Follansbee,  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Niagara;  Mr.  Faron,  V.Uu-f  EnLnnrer 
and  Mr.  McEllwell,  Assistant  Engineer  of  do ;  Mr   Iloare,  Chief  En' 
gineer  of  the    Agamemnon;     Mr.   Mooro,  Assistant    Knginecr  of  do  • 
Mr.  Morns,  Mr.  Samuel  Canning,  PL  Oliiford,  IL  Woodhougc,  Mr  Bru-' 
nel^J.  S    Gilliatt,  Kev   W.  Mitchell,  Messrs.  C.  &  J.  Jolmson,  Mr.  J 
Bo^cr,  ^apt  Nolloth,  R.  N..  Mr.  C.  W.  Tafling,  Mr.   Kiddle,  Mr.  H. 
Stephenson,  Mr.  W.  Brown,  M.  P  ;  Prof  Thompson,  Mr.  Gumey,  M  P  • 
Rev.   0.    C^  Schwabe,    Mr.    Pickering,,    Mr.   P.nder,   Mr.   Peabodyi 
Mr.  Logie,  Mr.  Le  Breton,  Messrs.  Lampson,  Johnston,  Hornby   Har- 
rison and  Dugdale.  ' 

.  •  The  majority  of  these  gentlemen  were  present,  and  among  them  Mr 
Brtael,  who  has  gained  such  a  world-wide  reputation  as  an  engineer' 
and  who  18  one  of  the  greatest  scientific  men  of  the  day.  Mr  Brunei  is 
the  son  of  the  constructor  of  the  Thames  Tunnel,  and  is  the  architect  of 
that  eighth  wonder  df  the  world,  the  Leviathan.  He  is  about  forty 
years  "f  ag,..  of  a  plain,  good-natured  and  most  propossessing  ex- 
terior, Like  all  true  men  of  genias,  Mr.  Brunei  ia  a  modest  and  an- 
assuming  man,  and  is  what  might  be  called  the  beau  ideal  of  a 
mechauiO.  Amoftg  the  convocation  of  scientific  pien  who  a«setabled  yes- 
terday to  examine  and  paas  their  verdict  opon  the  machinery,  he  was  the 
least  conspionous  in  personal  appearance,  and  certainly  the  very  last 
wha.would  have  been  selected  as  the  great  English  engineer.  Ho  was 
accompanied;  by  Ms  son,  a  perfect  fac  simil»  of  himself,  having  how- 

.  ever,  the  advantage  of  being  a  couple  of  iilchw  taller.  The  two  were 
the  most  dftm^oonitic  in  their  manner,  in  their  dress,  and  in  their  Ken- 
erat  appe*«flice,^f  those  present.    Mr.  Everett  explained  the  prinoiplea 


-^*  ■ 


THE  SECOND  ATLANTIC  EXPEDITION. 


V  173 


and  details  of  the  machine  to  them  both,  after  which  the  father  and  son 
had  a  little  quiet  tour  of  inspection  to  themsglves.  Mr.  Brunei  expi'ess- 
ed  himself  much  pleased  with  the  whole  affair,  and  was  confident  of 
its  successful  operation.  The  machine  was  running  during  the  whole 
day,  and  <accomplished  all  that  fras  r^laimcd  for  it.  An  illustrated  and 
detailed  description  of  it  is  giveu  further  on  in  this  work.  ■  ; 

The  following  letters  were  subsequently  received  from  the  gentlemen 
whose  signatures  are  apj)efided :  * 

LONDOK,  April  23,  1858. 
Oeorgk  Saward,  Esq.,  S«c,  of  Atlantic  Teleoraph  Co.    „ 

Sir — I  beg  to  say  that  I  have  a^ttended  at  the  works  of  Messrs. 
Easton  &  Amos  every  day  during  the  construction  of  the  new  paying- 
out  machinery,  and  saw  it  working  on  Thursday  last.  It  is,  in  my 
opinion,  well  adapted  to  the  intended  purpose,  and  I  huvc  nothing  to 
suggest  that  could  render  it  more  perfect.  I  am,  dear  air,  fanr^ost 
client,  \  \ 

'       HENRY  CLIFFORD.  . 

r 

London,  April  80,  188B. 
Dear  Sib — ^With  reference  to  your  request  of  the  19th  instant,  we 
beg  to  state,  for'the^form^ion  of  the  Directors  of  the  Atlantic  Tel^ 
graph  Company,  that  the  machinery  for  paying  out  the  cable  is,  in  otir 
opinion,  well  calculated  to  answer  the  .intended  purpose,  and  that  we 
have  no  alteration  to  suggest.  The  apparatus  for  showing  the  speed 
0^  the  ship,  and  for  recording  the  total  distance  run,  should  of  course 
be  completed  and  fixed  on  board  the  Agameranon  and  Niagara  before  the 
preliminary  trials  are  commenced  on  board  those  ships,  and  the  apparatus 
for  showing  the  rate  at  which  the  cable  is  Jaeiug  paid  out,  and  for  regis- 
tering the  total  quantity,  liliould  also  be  fixed  on  board.  There  will  be 
ample  time  for  this  purpose,  and  no  difficulty  need  be  apprehended.  ,We 
are,  dear  sir,  yours  truly, 

T.  LLOyo,     \ 
JOHK  PENN, 
JOSHUA  FIELD. 
.Ctbcs  W.  FiKLb,  Esq.,  &c.,  Ac,  &c. 


^ 


London,  April  24,  1868. 
Dear  Sib — I  have  witnessed  the  operation  of  the  machinery  for 
paying  out  the  Atlantic  Telegraph  Cible  at  the  works  of  Messrs.  Easton 
«  Amos,  ill  compliance  with  your  invitation  of  the  19th  inst.  With 
the  exception  of  the  scrapers  to  clear  the  wheels  of  tar,  not  yet  com- 
pleted, and  a  guard  for  the  cable  as  it  enters  upon  the  grooved  wheels, 
which  Mr.  Everett  informs  me  will  bo  applied,  I  know  of  nothing  fur- 
ther needad,  and  regard  it  as  well  adapted  to  the  purpose  for  which  it 
was  designed.     Very  tridy,  yours, 

*  ^w         >  JOSHUA  FOLLANSBKE, 

Chief  Engineer  United  States  Navy. 
Mb.  Qio.  Saward,  Bicritabt  to  Atlantic  Tileobafb  Co., 
No.  22  Old  Broad  Street. 


^   f'^174 


THE  OCEAJST  TKLEPBAPH. 


Atlahtic  Temobapb  Compint 
.22  Old  Broad  Street,  London;       ' 


f' 


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\ 


.      ^m  v^iu  uroKd  oirect,  iiondon, 
„  Engineer  s  Department,  April  24,  1868. 

To  THB  DlRECTORB  OT  THIC  AtLAHTIC  TkLKORAPH  Co    • 

been  erected  at  th.  works  of  MesBr    SlTAmrtteS  '"I.-? 
lave  been  made  with  tfiis  durino.  ♦»,«  UaVf      f     f       f®  *^**"  *^''* 

CHARLES  T.  B^IOUT,  Engineer. 

Prornl?'  ^'' ''"  ^'^.^^"^g^^  i°  t''"  conHtruction  of  his  machinery'. 
;^!ff^l  Vf  ^^P'^"'"^°t'«g  ^it»^  ti«  printing  telegraph,  on  the 

adan^d<!l  -^^^"Pl'^hed  enough  to,  show  that  it  was  the" best 
adapted  to  the  working  of  the  cable,  and  witb  a  few  modifications,  oould 
be  made  to  transmit  from  s>en  to  ten  words  ,  ^>inute  under  the  m^ 
favorable  eleotnoal  contlitions  of  the  line. 

Every  preparation  was  made  to  hasten  the  departure  of  the  T6le««i»h 
Squadron  on  the  trial  trip,  which  it  was  deoidedluld  take  jSZ 
Bay  of  Biscay,  and  by  the  29th  of  May  the  vessels  were  re^^C^ 

readers  a  detailed  description  of  the  vessels  ccimposing  the  gauadron 
the  mechanical  and  other  arrangements  which  hile^  made  for  Te 
fubXr  '  '''*'"'^^— -^YP-P^r  understanding  of  1 

THE  TELEGRAPH,a«tIIDRON. 
^e  vessels  composing  the  Squadi^on  were  the  U.  8.  frig.1  HiM«^     ■ 
H.  M.  steamers  Agamemnot.  Goigpn,  Valorous,  and  PorTpine.  Tt    ^ 
descnption  of  the  Niagara  L  U  given  j,  tie  nar^tiroT^  ti 
expedition,  it  is  merely  necessary  to  mention  her  mime.  \. 

N.Jt     „^^""°'''!  "  «"«  -^  *»««  l**"'*  line.of-battle  shi|M  in  the  Britd^ 

STfi^tLrrrr" '""'*''••    ^-^thbetween'^^.pendiauX^ 
^60  feet,  breadth  of  beam,  SSf  Mid  ji«,th  of  hold  m  feat    -nl 

»P  both  ftOO  horse  power.  Her  force  at  pre«mt  numbers  .fc,ut  460 
b^ter  full  complement,  when  on  a  w^  footing,  i.  over  600.  7lm 
armament  consists  of  91  guns,  of  which  84  »re  8  inoh  .heU  ^nTl  W 


V 


/  ■■• 


THE   8B00NX)'  ATI-AUTIC   EXPKDITIOK. 


in 


I 


\ 


lower  deck,  14  on  her  spar  deck,  32  pounders,  and  36  on  her  main  deck 
aro  also  8  inch.     In  addition  to  those,  she  carries  on  the  forecastle  nix 
32  pounders,  and  one  heavy  gun  of  9,550  poundu,  for  throwing  8  inch 
solid  shot.     All  the  guna  are  made  for  firing  bIicIIs.     The  Agumemuon 
was  J^unched  at  Woolwich  in  the  jear  1852,  and  is  said  to  he- one  of  the 
fastest  of  the  screw  vessels  of  the  British  fleet,     ller  engines  are  known 
as  the  trunk,  with  horizontal  cylinders,  and  their  nomuial  h»rhc  power 
w  capable  of  being  worked  up  to  1,800.     The  motive  force  ik  supplied 
by  four  tubular  boilers,  which  are  made  to  resist  a  pressure  of  Impounds 
to  the  square  in?h.     There  are  five  furnaces  under  eaih  o^  these,  and  the 
whole  machinery  is  two  and  a  half  feet  below  the  water  line.     The  boil- 
ers, in  addition  to  this,  are  protected  from  shot  by  the  coal  hunkers.    As 
the  engines  and  firerooms  are  nearer  than  u.^ual  to  the  Ptf^i,  it  accounts 
for  the  fihorttiess  ot  the  -haft,  which  is  sixty  feet  less  than  thab-Sjf  thfe 
Niagara-.     Its  diameter   i.s  thirteen  inches,,  and  length  forty  feet,  wUile 
the  propeller   is  about  eighteen  feet  in  diameter,  with  a  pitch  of  ^JJicnty 
feet  six  inches.     Its  weight  re  eight  tons,  excliisive  of  the  gearjng,  and 
it  is  made  of  a  composition  called  gun  metal.     The  number  of  revolu- 
tions at  the  highest  speed  is  fifty-four  to  thje  minute^iind  rate  with  a  . 
consumption  of  fifty  tons  of  coal  a  day  froi^ioo  to  ten  miles  per  hour. 


The  Agamemnon  was  Sir  E.  (now  Lord)  Lyfo's  flag  ship,  .and  tool|  a 
,partinthc  a^ault  on  Sebastopol  on  th(^l 7th  of  October,  1855,  from 
which  she  retired  considerably  damaged.  On  that  occasion  she  approached 
within  seven  or  eight  hundred  yards  of  the  place,  from  which  she  retired 
with  three  or  four  of  her  ports  knocked  into  one,  several  of  hei'  spars 
splintered,  and  w^th  considerable  other  danjage.  To  fithei^fot  the  work 
in  which  she  is  nww  employl^d,  all  her  guns  have  been  removed,  and  she 
has  had  frigate  masts  put  in  her.  The.follewing  is  a  correct  list  of  her 
officers,  those  with  the  asterisk  prefixed  having  ^rved  on  the  last  expe- 
dition: Captab,  George  W.  Pree<ly.;  lieutenants^  E.  H.  Murray,  Hon. 
F.  Fitzmaurice,  F.-^jrB.  Robinson,  R.  Qibgoiw"  mister,  H.  A.  Moriarty; 
paymaster,  John  N.De  Tries;  engineer,- JfJfos  Biv^B  ;  assistant  oagi-  , 
neers,  John  Brown,  ^.  B.  Harvey,  Edwin  Pearce,  Samuel  Cieraen^ta, 
William  Smily,  John  Heffeman ;  surgeon,  William  D.  Kerr ;  assistant 
surgeon,  •W.  W.  P.  Smyth;  clerk,  F.  A.  Pountncy ;  cftrpentcr,  R.  Rian; 
gunner,  E.  Snell;  boatswain,  Richard  Farrell. 

The  Gorgpn  is  one  of  the  old<^,.e||pr8  in  the  British  nav^,  having. 
been  biult  some  nineteen  or  tweni^HJf  ago.  She  is  a  comparatively 
small  vessel,  but  at^the  ^ime  she  w«^!?icte?i  she  "Wes  regirdod  as 
one  of  the  lai^st  reWisW  the  whoP^^\wli  fleet,  and  as  a  wonderful 
specimen  of  naval  architAure  in  her^aj^U,Her  measurement  is  1,111 
toM,  her  iinnaipent  aix  gW^.  which|ft)e  cafik;s-^>  her  spar  deck;  apd 


-I 


0  0 


*'-'" 


s^'p, . 


176 


THE  OCEAN  TBXEOBAPH. 


I' 


her  engines  are  320  horso  power.    She  accompanied  the  Niagara  .a  an' 
escort  .n  the  place  .f  the  United  States  ^^  frigate  SusquehaZ  „"  X 

t^8  on  account  of  the  yeUo^  fever  having  broken  oat  on  board  of  Tef 
whde  .n  the  West  Indies.     The  following  is  a  li«t  of  the  offioelof  1 
Gorgon:      Commander    Joseph  il)ayn,an;    senior  lieutenant    J    B 
Micbell;  lieutenant,  J.  B.  Butler;  master  and  pilot,  C  Albert    r,J.' 
-aster,  A.  F.  M.  Roberts;  surgeon,  II.  Oimlette  f  chi  f  en^  eer  k 'e  ' 
Home;  clerk,  Charles  Wm.  King;  first  assistant  ngineer^WPifche^ • 
second  assistant  engineer.  J.  Spinks;  third  assistant'engi^eer  P  Ri  1 
rnond;  boat^wau^If.  Blake;  carpenter,  John  Ilarcus;  gSnct  B  Howe 
third  assistants,  R.  Dillon,  P.  Baldwin  ' 

rii^rT  vT"'  ^"°"P'°'  ''''''  "^  the- smallest  class  6f 

SSa?"  m  the  English  navy,  and  was  built  in  1844  for  surveying  pu^- 

Her  engines  are  182  horse  power,  and  her  iheasurement  is  382 

e  wiU  also  accompany  the  Niagara  as  a  leading  vessel  to  steer 

^  the  Gorgon  will  be  employed  when  necessary  only  in  towing  ' 

I  m  the  ev^nt  of  any  accident  happening  to  the  Niagara.     The 

^g '«''J'''t«f  the  Porcupine's  officers:  Captain,  HenrvC    Otter 

Cr  FrtieP mT  '''^'''  ^-  ''^^''-^  -ter  TOZm'sta^'ntn;' 
surgeon    Francis  McAree;  second  master,  George  StanL 

paymaster  in  charge,  Edmund  B.  Walker 

comp?nicd  ThTA'  ^^''"°"  ^'V'*^  '''''''  ">'  '"^^  ^-P-''-  -^ch  ac- 
companied the  Agamemnon  on  the  expedition  of  1857  as  her  escort 

.  She  .         t,d  to  be  on«  of  the  finest  side  wheel  steamers"  the  Br  Ush 
navy,  and  carries  an  armament  of  sixteen  mrns      uJvL  • 

q«W„,  J.  Broach,  J.  Sooit,  H.  Walter,  Eobt  QaSl^         """^ 

THE  KNOINEERIKa  AKD  ELECTRICAL  CORPS. 

in  regard  to  i^  ekcU^enrand  the  w^^^^^^     ^"'  ""*''  ^  ""  ^'""P'^^* 
ner  that  theCaehineTeS  atn?  m^  ^  ^'^"^  '^  -*- 


:j 


r,fi/^;:**S'.*':i '.'"' 


Tire    BEOOND  ATLANTIC  EXPRPITION.  177 

Josbua  FoUaubbee,  the  chief  engineer  <vf  the' ship,  Mr.  M.  Kellof,'g,  and 
Mr.  McEUwell,  assistant  engineers,  all  of  wl.on^fept  watoh.  Thin  n^ade" 
a  force  of  cngineerfl  for  this  particular  duty  jl^p  I'aptain  Kfell  had  - 
•pooial  char^  o^tho  coil,  which  he  shared  vmiPnr.  Goodrichj  master's 
niate,  Mr.  Fugitf ,  sailiaaker,  and  Mr.  Webber,  the  guunor  of  flm  Niagara. 
On  the  AgamemnoB  were  Mr.  Amos,  Mr.  Clifford,  Mr.  Cuuulng,  aod 
Mr.  Bright,  who  were  assisted  by  Mr.  Hoaro  and  Mr.  Mooro — two  of 
the  engineers  of  the  Agamemnon.  Mr.  Amos  did  not  go  out  on  tlie  ex- 
pedition. The  following  is  the  numerical  force  of  the  Staff  »n  board  both 
ships: 

Enginoers  and  assiatantfl  on  Niagara,  .        ....        5 

Engineers  and  assistants  on  Agamemnon,      .        .        .        .        .0 

The  electrical  department  was  composed  of  the  electricians,  tlie  ope- 
rators and  the  splicers.  Mr.  De"  Sauty  and  Sir.  Laws  had  tlio  electri- 
cal force  on  the  Niagara  under  their  charge,  while  that  on  the  Agamemncm 
was  directed  by  Dr.  Thompson  and  Mr.  Bartholomaw.  The  following  table 
glves/tlie  number  in  each  branch  of.  ihe  eleotricaL  departments  on  board 
ships : 

ON   NIAOARA. 

Number  of  electricians, 2 

Number  of  opcTfttors,  . * 

fiutta  percha  joiner,  .         .         .         .         .^       .         •         •  1 

BpUcers  of  cable  and  assistants,'    .        .        4 

Total,  .        .        .        .        •        •        ^        •        .11 

0^  AGAHKUNON. 

Number  of  electricians, 2 

Number  of  operators,    .        .        .    ' * 

Gutta  percha  joiners, •  2 

SpBcers  of  cable  and  assistants, '  ^ 

Total,  .        .        .•        .        V    ,   .        .        •        .11 

'  THE  COILING  PROCESS  IIXTJSTBATED.  ' 

As  a  great  deal  of  importance  is  property  attached  to  the  process  of 
coiling,  there  is  no  part  of  the  work  which  receives  more  care  and  atten- 
tion, and  which  demands  the  exercise  of  a  larger  degree  of  vigilance. 
Some  idea  of  it  may  be  form'sd  when  it  is  known  that  every  mile,  every 
yard,  every  foot  of  the  cable  is  laid  down  with  ad  much  precision,  as 
much  regularity,  and  as  much  neatness,  as  thread  is  wound  upon  a 
spool.  The  way  the  work  of  coiling  is  performed  is  exhibited  in  the 
following  drawing,  which  was  made  on  board  the  Niagara,  and  which 
presents  an  accurate  and  life-like  representation  of  the  scene. 

Hero  the  coilcni  are  represented  at  work,  while  the  manner  in  which 
th^  cable  is  drawn  on  board  is  also  shown.     The  coiling  is  commenced 

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178 


THOC  OOBAH  TELEOKAPH. 


^  ^  -4— The  csbia  payeK 
•«-P««a»ge  oatakla  of  the  cMt. 
<5-BoU«r  oTer  wUoh  tt*  eabla 


^W 


on  the  onintOge  vt  th«oi>oa«, 
or  circle,  and  approaches  nearar 
to  the  cone  as  each  round 
w  laid,  unta  the  oone  is  &Mdly 
waohed.    Thus  the  ilrit  flake 
w  l*id,  and  flake  suooeeds  flake 
till  the  coil  is  finished— tiiat  Is, 
till  it  is  carried  as  near  the 
heatoB  of  the  deck  as  possible— 
ontil,  in  feet,  the  space  be- 
tween the  top  of  the  coil  and 
the  deck  beams  is  iafliffioient 
to  allow  the  continuance  of  the 

lU  Height.    On  the  Ninpni  .  fotoe  of  one  lundnd  ud  t,.nto  ikk 

o«»,  11 18  seued  by  another  who  run^  around  the  circle  with  u 

T  -!      P    ■***"'  '"'*  oomfequentlj  less  liabiUtv  to  lrin«—  ^^ 
«^  flake  are  placed  thin  lalSke  b<Lis,  aVbte^  ^^  JL^ij 

^^"■■•*    *•»•  rowman  mspeets  eadi  ^«r 


J* 


■  p^'jrft»^'la'.ga|i^  r»iifcr-y-?^ 


!^#»---:f-^'''>/^-"' ' 


Y^  ►    ''Hi 


THB  onoxp  Aixjurno  expedition. 


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■  1 


«f  lUaai^  whilfl  the  umataat  follows  close  upon  the  heels  of  the  pajer, 
m4  sees  that  the  men  pftck  the  eable  closely.  The  payer  himself  is  one 
nC  the  eoilera,  each  ooiler  taking  his  torn  of  hauling  down  and  trottiiog 
Muad  the  dreiu  ereiy  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour,  by  which  time  it 
.  w,  fajiKMed  his  arms  will  be  pretty  well  tired.  From  two  to  two  inil«i 
and  a  half  of  eable  is  coiled  in  an  hour,  and  from  fifty  to  sixty  miles, 
.«l»a  the  men  are  obliged  to  work  night  aad  day.  The  kneeling  posi- 
tion in  which  the  ooilers  are  placed  would  seep  to  indicate  that  they  are 
^gaged  in  devotional  exercises,  but  they  are  supposed  to  be  resting  just 
ift  this  particular  time,  having  been  seated,  ibr  some  two  hours  bdfoi^ 
thjBjohuged  their  posture.  Each  operative  is  provided  with  a  seat  of 
the- most  primitive  description — sometimes  a  plain  block  of  wood  hollow- 
ed at  the  to^  so  as  to  form  a  fitting  receptacle  for  that  part  of  the  cor- 
jpoceal  system  which  is  to  be  deposited  thereon.  Others  are  less  prim* 
itive,  and  oocasiooally  assume  the  form  of  a  stool  of  the  most  lowly  dimen- 
jdons,  that  the  coiler  may  not  be  obliged  to  stoop  too  much.  But- after 
aU|  there  is  very  little  stoopiiig,  as  each  man  is  obliged  to  bend  but  once 
eveiy  time  the  payer  goed  round  the  circus.  The  work  is  not  therefore 
very  heavy,  and  the  ooilers  make  it  more  a  labor  at  pleasure  than  any 
thing  else:  They  are  dressed  in  a  regular  uniform  of  duck,  whiqh  is  in 
glaring  ocmtrast  with  the  tarred  cable,  the  frequent  contact  with  which 
do^  W>\  tend  to  improve  its  color.  As  their  hands  are  not-  exactly  in 
that  state  of  cleanliness  m  which  a  man  would  sit  down  to  dinner,  and  as 
tJt^e,  tar  nu^es  them  somewhat  sticky,  they  are  supplied  with  oil^to  lubri- 
.4fito  th«&  about  oboe  every  two  hours.  ^t'%  , 

J.  Those  same  cable  ooilers  were  wonderful  fellows — as ''wonderful  in- 
4Md  as  tiiose  who  performed  the  work  last  year  while  the  Niagara  lay 
^  tibs  Mersey,  and  are  therdore  as  deserving  of  as  much  attention. 
..j^M  oaUe  oirole«(,too,  were  the  soen^  of  .performances  as  mtereating 
M  •xtraerdinary,  and  as  amusing  as  before.  I  know  there  are  sceptics 
,;f  If^jri^  90»pt  at  nxfK  w  assertion,  and  who  im^^^  that  where  there  is 
jplWMhiMrtlljsi*  caii.be  Uttie  <a  no  sooii^l  exgoyment;  bai  they  are 
.^3n  all  othw  unbelievers — they  have  no  Heart  or  soul  for  any  tlung,  and 
„.irliat  other  men  would  ftad  pleasure  in  has  no  allurement  or  interest  for 
^tlpmn,  but  ia«  4^>  niwneaning  blank.  So  muoh  for  the  soeptios,  and 
jl|Q|ir  for  the  silpits  and  soenea  among  the  cable  men.  . 
oij;  ThA  wardroon^  eireiui  is  iiituated,  o|i  the  main  or  hirtfa  deck,  and  ip 
4pn(lirallj  #n  <ilQe<^  of  the  ffM,^  intenst  to  visitors.  On  eith(»r  side  of 
U  ia  a  narrow  passage,  whioh  was  finrmed  by  cutting  oft  alxmt  ooeJialf 
fO^  the  oftoers*  rooms.  The  prifMy  pt  both  these  nuniatnre  ^ri- 
jDfl^  ||j(|nMred  by  amu  ct:  a  Movaa  wall,  behind  whv^,  as  bdiipid  j^ 


ih 


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m 


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11 


180 


THB  OCSAJS  TELEGBAPH. 


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I     lb 


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li   '■ 


jnt  are  affected  which  tnmefonng  the  natural  into  the  aVlK  J 
Here  he  n.ake«  hia  toilet,  and  here  in  thi«  liu  «  «^  .     ""• 

«"t  awir  l.  i.  .  Z^-     ^    j'  ."'' '''™  °"''y  <>»«J»lf  He  room  i. 

*~.o»..-^z::?::::";t„7err.r:!ziT"" 

"esBion  of  the  circus  and  beiran  their  wn^lr   .^.^J^^'^'^  t^k  P<»- 

.  Bubetituteforthe  pene?tr£      .  I'^^**  hand  is  employed  „ 

tarred  palm  of  the  leH^w^allTht;  '  T^""'  "^^^  *^«  ^- 

fecilitieTas  these  v^T^^^    «»e  purposes  of  a  palette.   With  such 

♦»..♦  -  T  I"®"°*  yw"  "oold  be  astonished  at  the  b«w  »n«J— 

that  are  erorv  day  created  with:.  ♦!.„   •        *  **  irondOTs 

Some  of  the  artfat^Zrj?r'  i   «r^fe««ce  of  the  cable  oi««a. 

.mature,  ^  iieZ^Z^  1"" ''^''fl''  ^^"*"*'«»'  o^  -"'"•to* 

:forms;fanlm;rirrihcS'^",f,*^'''^**'**''*^  *"»«  »^  other 

^ieroranyofti:'-;:^-^,^"'^^^^^^^^^^  ^ 

p™  witl,  tom-«te,  -wkow  belbgerent  eharaoter  is  indie.t«l  by  Z       . 


i 


THB  BBOOKD  ATliAMTIO  EXPEDITION. 


181 


swelled  tail  and  niaed  back,^in&llible  proofe  of  felme  anti^iiiam.  Then 
there  are  fat  porkers  that  would  gladdeu  the  heart  of  a  Giaeiiiiiati  dealer 
to  look  at,  and  sheep  with  tails  of  the  most  remarkable  dimensions.  ,One 
portion  of  the  cireos  is  d^Yot«d  exclusively  to  a  grotesque  procesaioJi  of  ani- 
mals of  every  oonoeivable  and  inconceivable  description,  suppe8e4*dirirto» 
the  maroh  to  some  invisible  Noah's  ark.  Fishes  are  to  be  seen  out  of  their 
element,  and  apparently  on  the  most  sociable  and  companionable  terms  with 
the  feathered  denizens  of  the  air.  But  the  fancies  of  art  do  not  stop  here. 
They  seek  otiher  fields  for  their  flights,  and  illustrate  the  achievements 
of  the  champions  of  the  ring,  and  the  prowess  of  that  enlightened 
portion  of  the  oommnnity  who  patronize  and  maintain  the  manly  art  of 
self-defence.  Prize  fights  are  quite  numerous  on  the  boarded  wall,  and 
by  way  of  variety,  and  to  satisfy  those  vhose  reined  natures  and  nice 
ideas  revolt  at  such  a  vulgar  way  of  settling  private  disputes  or  claims 
to  personal  superiority,  duels  with  swords  and  pistols  are  als^llustrated. 
The  pugilists  are  in  a  large  majority,  however,  and  their  tremendous 
muscular  developmfhts  as  compared  with  the  skeleton-like  fi)rms  of  the 
duelists,  would  seepi  to  convey  the  idea  that  their  peculiar  profession  is 
good  for  the  health.^  Nowirom  all  this  there  is  but  one  conclusion  to 
be  drawn — that  a  cable  circus  ia-a  remarkable  promoter  for  the  develop- 
ment of  genius.  But  after  all,  the  ooilers  have  not  much  time  to  devote 
to  works  of  art,  and  perhaps^to  this  fact  may  be  attributed  the  difficulty 
whioh  the  spectator  sometimes  finds  in  making  out  the  exact  charaoter 
of  the  object  intended  |o  be  represented.  Oooasionally  a  horse  is 
mistaken  for  a  dog,  and  were  it  not  for  the  indispensable  trunk  the  ele- 
phant might  not  be  recognised  at  once.  As  for  the  pigs,  sheep,  and 
oowB,  it  must  be  confessed  that  nature  is  not  exactly  copied,  and  thM 
the  aberrations  of  genius  roam  unrestricted  through  such  extended  fields 
of  £uicy,  that  it  is  impossible  for  ordbar;  minds  to  follow.  No  matter 
how  much  eritdss,  however,  may  differ  in  regard  to  the  quality  or  the- 
truthfulness  of  these  works  of  art,  they  must  agree  in  one  thing,  that 
oable  eoiling  is  not  the  disagreeable  occupation  which  some  suppose,  and 
that  the  oable  ooUers  are  as  jelly,  as  pleasant,  as  jovial,  as  witty,  and  as 
humorous  a  set  of  fellows  as  were  ever  gathered  together.  While  they 
ooil  flake  after  flake  and  layer  after  layer,  they  are  as  meny  as  the  day 
is  Ioai|^  that  if,  in  midsummer  ttt  thereabouts,  when  the  day  is  longest, 
whieh  makes  all  tlie  difference  in  tJie  world,  so  &1'  aa  the  force  of  the 
ooaqtariaon  is  oon^dered.  Unpleasant  work  1  Why,  there  never  was 
wor\ whioh  was  performed  with  greater  alacrity  and  willingness.  So 
eager  Wtte  the  moa  in  regard  to  it,  and  so  willing  were  they  to  ofisr 
their  services,  that  when  the  demand  was  made  for  volunteers',  the  wKole 
ahip's  crew  «ame  forward,  and  some  diffioolty  was  found  in  the  aelaotion 


.11 


;  -1: 


'4. 


y  ■ 
]■  I'' 


•"<■*''';' 


i-^-is: 


Jff>. 


V 


v. 


182 


THK  OCEAN  TELBOKAPn. 


,# 


i1 


P 


when  thej  commenced.     EachZ  tooTevV    '^^  *"^  ^'«°™'"  " 
'  new  conandrums,  new  Joe  MHleSn?     J  ^  \*?  ^^^  Joke.,  new  yan», 
in  the  jocular  and  h  JoToas    nrSo"!    ^j'"''  '"'^^^  '^'^^^  «^ 
that  an  old  joke  «  scouJd  a   with  fnd     T^  "'  '^'^«°  *'»«  P«i^ 
•everel,  centred  for  thratlTj^^T  ?' '"'  ''''  JoierlLel 
,^      good  natnre  of  his  hearers     AJItl,!^        ^  °""*'  ''  ^^'^  '^  *!>« 
'        pleasant  scene,  the  «.:"  ocfa/ffa  Z   ^J^f  *'X^«<^  h  the  same 
c.ro,e,  #e  have,  i„  fact,  describedTbnt  L  T      ""''  *''"'''"•  °°^ 
difference  in  that  which  is  now  CJ'fillL       r\"?  ^""^  P°^«*- <>' 
oncetoit.a,.,,,,,,j^^XrtleJ!^,"  tie  l^old  .  brief  refer- 

tlated.and  an  attempt  ^ttcruw^th^'^^^^ 
"  general!,  attended  withTpen  j^r  '    P ^^^ 
•nd  leg.,  or  who  are  at  all  S^J  Tt'^AT.'''''  ^'''  '^''^  '^^ 
the.„pper  regions,  should  av'ff  b' I^b.  th '      "  ''"  '""""^  ^"^     ' 
LeaWng  the  wardroom  coil  behbd  L T     *.  ^^  '^'^''"'  "^  *  g°ide. 
pa«.  the  engine  hatch  oHhe -^ft  2  Z  ^\^-?"^  °°  '^'  """^^^k, 
master's,  the  purser's,  and  ^  f^i*'  .t'^  !  f^^'^^'  the  saiUng 
further,  we  reach  the  fort^IiX?!  -^  l'?'*"     ^"^^^  on  still 
.  .  last  filled  «P,anawhichnow";wrn''^^^^^        ^  ^°« '^^  t*"- 
P-f »««  on  either  side  is  the  only  meLsT  ^  ^"^'^  "P"     ^  '»»"<"'  ' 
«hip,  where  the  choking  frr  the  L^^     i'*''*"  *°  *^*  ^'^^  P^^  <^  ^o 
and  the  odor  from  whifh  lu^J^J^;  VJ^^"'  »■»<»  -»  «  <»rried  on, 
teresting  performance  is  being  11^1     bT^?  P^'"^*  *«  *  "'««'  '»' 
tbat  is,  to  the  coil,  is  the  ea^l  pa^Uf  thf        ^*^  "^  ***  *^"  ^^' 
b"  yet  to  be  encountered  ^  *'*  Pa««go-the  most  diffioui; 

It  looks  dark  and  glootny,  oonZl^l^^  'J'"^  ''*'  "^^  "^°  <^*««nd. 
np  this  deck,  and  L  oI^Zl^TSll"  f^  ^''^'^'''  ^^"^ ««l>ts 
bj  which  it  is  faint,,  iZ^JTry^Z^:  ''''l  ''  «*^  ^^^^^ 
darkness  still  more  risible     1W„T     A     *"  °"*« /be  prevailing 
do^  through  the  cent^f  "^rc^^t  ,t  t/ «'  ^  -T 
deck,  down-  into  the  circle  of  the  ^U    ♦     . '!  "^"'^  °»  **«  "''op 
ori-g  to  get  .  gUn«,,  oomL  t«  .        '''"?'•  '^^  *"  °«^  »deav 
with  which  I  wni.  «d  n  is  ha«2*  r  '^*''  ^'-^^  "  «»«  ink 
flake-  by  the  thirtj  men  who  siraroT  ^  ^"^'  "  ^  P^*^  "^^  in 

-  7<m  look,  and^u  jXlLT/.tenr^hich"^^ 

j"u  ■  scene  which  necromancer's 


Jv. 


-SLSffliai^; 


'■^ 


■y^^Mj. 


*'^'*,i»"  ■*r^~'=  -.-..y  «i,^,i^',. 


.-i   ■■        ^ 


THE  SECOND  ATLANTIO   EXrEDlTION. 


.183 


craft  never  e<iualled;  yes,  in  comparison  with  wLich  eteh  4he  boasted 
powers  of  his  magio  art  appear  insignificant-     Through  that  blacit.ued 
wire  rope,  as  it  is  laid  on  the  bottom'  nf  the  great  deep,  will  flash -the 
subtle  messenger  of  man,  with  a  speed  that'  outruns  the  sun  in  his 
course,  and  with  which  thought  itself  wpuld  run  ap  unequal  race.     This 
IB  the  necromancy  of  science,  the  oreatiori  of  human  genius,  the  very 
ohmax  of  human  invention.     Let  your  hearing  return,  and  listen-^-tbat 
hearty  laughter  has  no  unearthly  sound,  but  is  as  rollicking,  as  jovial 
and  as  cheerful  as  ever  came  out  <3f  mortal  throat.     Having  given  fuU 
liberty  to  one  of  your  senses,  you  must  now  make  another  do  double 
duty.     You  must  open  your  eyes,  and  bo  just  as  wide  awake  as  it  is 
possible  for  you  to  be.     Descending  about  ten  fe^t  we  reach  the  orlop 
'  deok  circle,  which  is  almost  similar  to,that  on  the  deck  above.    Another 
descent— fourteen  feet  further  lown—and  we  stand  upon  the  top  flake  of 
the  rapidly  increasing  coil,  tlic  hold..coil,  the  largest  in  the  ship,  which  is 
to  contain  four  hundred  miles  of  the.,great  sna  line.     We  are  now  twelve 
feet  below  the  water  level,  and  in  the  lowest  point  of  the  vessel  which 
It  is  possible  for  us  to  reach.     An  immense  cone,  larger  than  any  that 
we  have  yet  seen,  stands  in  the  centre  of  the  circle  like  the  peak  of  an 
extinct  volcano.     Around  us  is  tho  magic,  the  necromantic  circle,  who 
are  no  more  nor  no  less  than   thirty  "  Knights  of  the  BlM  Hand," 
bearing  the  device  upon  backs,  breasts,  and  sides,  which  attest --eljeir 
position  on  board  ship  as  unmistakably  as  the  red.  cross  distinguished 
the  crusader  from  his  Saracenic  foe.     They  are  all  out  of  the  reaclvof 
daylight,  and  all  the  candles  they  can  find  places  for  are  barely  suffi- 
cient to  chase  away  the  darkness.     Still  there  is  plenty  of  light,  not 
only  to  enable  the  coilers  to  see  what  they  are  about,  but  to  enable  them 
to  coil  as  neatly,  as  rapidly,  and  altogether  $  ,8ucce88fully  as  those  in 
the  wardroom  circus,  between  whom  and  themselves  there  is  considerable 
rivalry.     In  point  of., wit,  humor,  fun,  story-telling,  ability,  and  all  the 
other  qualifications  which  are  necessary  to  make  what  is  called  "  a  good 
foUow,"theyareTibtawhit  behind  those  same  wardroom  circus  men; 
and  although  they  may  be  somewhat  below  them  in  position,  considering' 
the  distance  the  coils  are  apart,  they  are  their  e<iual8  in  every  respect, 
and  their  title  to  knighthood  is  just  as  well  earned  and  as  well  graced. 
They  can  coil  at  the  rate  of  two  and  a  half  mUes  an  hour,,  and  take  as 
much  pride  in  doing  their  work  well.     In  fact,  it  would  be  impossible  to 
deoide  which  should  have  the  pabn.     They  are  both  well  drilled,  and  for 
this  due  credit  must  be  given  t,o  Mr.  Fugitt,  the  sailmaker;  Mr.  Web- 
ber, the  gunner;  Capt.  Kell,  an^  Mr.  Goodrich,  master's  mate,  for  their 
careful  and  attentive  supervlsioii  of  the  coiling. 

The  following  engraving,  repi^sentjng  the  coils  in  the  forepart  of 


i       'i 


]    • 


»»>., 


X 


"S''\s.'>. 


to. 


184 


TtiK  OCKAjr  TKLBOBAPU. 


^'1 


-y 


a^^aW  li"r?  1"'""  ^''^^  '""*  P'-'^P^^'""'  -^  -  --'ding  f 
a  Bcalo  of  tj^entj-fiTo  fii^et  to  an  inch :  ^ 

The  base  of  the  coil  in  the 
Iiold,  it  will  be  perceived,  is 
i-not  80  regular  and  doea  not 
I  cover  80  much  sp^oo  as  that  of 
Any  of  the  others,  on  account 
of   the  oonBtmotion   of  this 
part  of  the  riiip.     The  height 
from  the  floor    to  the  deck 
above  affords  a  large  space  for 
the  coiling  of  the  cable,  and  a 
™°°'*  greater  length  is  there- 
Mono!.orTHB»rA8A«»,„o'wn.oVH,»ToWo.of    *""  P'***'^  ^®'"®-     This  may 
ble  of  co[r'Th«'r"'r'™"T  ^  ^'^^  ^y  referon^  to  the  ta, 

ror2tthan7i::£e::b:d^r^^^^^^        -^- 

ry  to  call  attention  to  the  fact.  ^'  * ''  "*  "'"^^  ^««"- 

THE  CABLK  CIRCUS.  THE  CONK  AND  FAIR.LEADER8         ' 

«^n  these  two  essentiLU..  a/dry^r^lT^i^S: 
ne  lir       "T"^r"^'^^""*^*''«  -»--  of  the^nte™:^' 

2:i::r'af?;:L^^er  ro;sr -^^^.  --^r^ 

far  from  being  wWt  u  regmdsd  ..  m  eloiiBitel  ™,o     Tl  !     ' 

»f  .  prop»  r«eptel.  f„,'a„,  ^j,  ,„  .wtl«L  !f  l^^f™ 
a»d  «o  ino„.,ide„bI.  .„„„„,  of  l.b!J  »T«„Td!3  jj  "°f  *■""' 

-tbor  ^d  .„  ,.„  e«n«ri^.to,  to  U  Tu^ed  to  totL'u 

from  k..k.ng, « ,i  ,„  ^*„a  fa,„  ^.  ^^  „,  ^^f7j; 


THE  BBOOND  ATLANTIC  KXrEDHION. 


185 


simple  aa  the  arrangemente  to  secure  those  ends  may  appear,  they  did 
not  reach  their  present  state  of  perfection  till  the  work  of  laying  the 
Atlantic  cable  waa  entered  upon.  In  the  followii^  engraving  is  pre- 
sented a  correct  representation  of  the  circus,  the  eono  and  the  fair- 
leadora: 


1  THE  OABU  niBCVS,  THX  COHC  A^KD  rAIR-I.XADEIU. 

0— Lcrge  Iron  Hnga  for  fair-leaders  and  to  prevent  kinking. 

i»— Oonc. 

o—PalleTK  « Ith  ln>n  triclni;  lines  fur  raising  (air-leaders. 

D — Portfiin  of  none  colled. 

.f^Qatcbwsy  with  the  cablo  going  op. 

The  circus  is  enclosed  to  a  height  of  four  or  five  feet,  or  as  high  as 
the  coil  rises — the  enclosure  being  made  of  ordinary  uprights  or 
stanoheous  and  rough  boards.  The  floor  i.s  pvcrlaid  with  common  plank- 
bg,  upon  'which  is  placed  a  covering  of  zinc,  for  the  protection  of  the 
de«k,  vfaioh  vould  otherwise  be  stained  by  the  tar  with  which  the 
cable  ifl. saturated.  The  cone,  which  occupies  the  centre  of  the  circus 
and  coil,  and  is  made  of  oak  or  some  other  hard  wood,  range  ^,  according 
to  oiroumstancoH,  from  seven  to  nine  feet  in  diameter  at  .he  base,  and 
from  three  to  five  at  the  top.  The  particular  part  it  is  required  to  per- 
form is  to  prevent  the  cable  from  becoming  entangled  in  the  centre  of 
the  circle,  And  to  secure  it  a  safe  passage  through  the  hatchway.  The 
large  irdto  rings,  or  fair-leaders,  which  encircle  the  cone,  are  intended 
to  {n^veni  the  cable  from  kinking  m  it  is  unwound.  The  cable  passes 
under  these,  and  up  between  them  and  the  cd^e,  and  in  this  way  any 
tendenoy  which  it  might  have  |o  kink  is  removed.  The  fair-leaders  arc 
secured  by  wire  rope  to  the  be^s,  and  are  capable  of  being  lowered  by 
means  of  pulleys,  aa  the  cable  is  reduced  in  paying  out  The  operative, 
who  is  represented  in  the  act  of  lowering  one  of  thei  fair-loaders  by  means 


If 


'N 


%•  -.* 


186 


THE  OCEAN   TKLBQBAPH. 


•:.J    I 


.iff 


I; 


Of  the  ^ire  rope  stands  in  a  narrow  parage,  between  the  outer  plankinir 
of  tbo  ciroufl  and  the  side  of  the  ship.  P«n«uig 

THE  COJLS.  kTC .  ON  THE  AQAMEMNGX. 
,^c,rei3  perhaps  no  ve4l  i„  U,e  British  navy  better  adapted  for 
the  co.l.ng  aud  paying  out  ff  thcf  eable  than  the  A^ei^^J      „ 
mssnen-ss  and  groat  strong  h,  as  well  as  the  pee^Jaf  r^Z:  wb  o'h 

Dart  of  th«  «aKl«  t^o|  whole  1,250  miles  which  constituted  her 

part  ot  the  cable  were  coiled  in  the  forwarrl  hnl^  »„j  •.         i-       , 

then  that  she  was  "  hn.^T-.-  k    u      u        ^     ^  "^'^  ^""^  «''cul«ted 
n.}  f     1       7^      ^  •  '    *^'"^'  ^^""^  translated  into  common  Fn„ 

J  he  proportions  of  the  ship,  as  civen  in  tI,P  fnll.-- 
preserved  as  exactly  and  accurate  vTu  ^«"«»">«  engraving,  are 

being  ft.rty.six  feet  to  an  hch      Th.^,   ,       ^T^^'  to  do  «,,  the  scale 

^.t.e  .rU  Of  %:L?betw!rj:frs^i::::^^^^^ 

chmery,  stores,  and  cLl  bcinir  in  fhn  „ft         •""  niain  masts,  the  ma- 

keel,  and  thus  prej^  tha     fea^^^^^^^^  £  ^o  n  Z  '"  ."  ^  "" 
she  has  to  perform     ^ith  6mT      ^      1    »  ,   ne<*ssarj  in  the  work 

.theAgameLonLw!lttt;l:n1e:^^ 
line  almost  to  a  level  with  the  caWe  guTd  tleht  !T'*  *'^  ''''^'■ 
accurate  idea  may  be  formed  of  Z  ...     ***  *^^  ''*«™'     ^^ 

from  the  several  Cs  Wei.   .''ff  "*  '''''"''  *^°  '^''l^  »««  P*id  out 

by  the  letter  A  ^:i  L^  ^^  7  tin  ST^  /'^  ^""  '"^'^^^^^ 
hold  coil  C  beirg  the  lasirea^!!?  a  1  ?***"*  "*'*  ^  ««^«'.  »»«» 
coils  and  U.e  paLtourLTn    /  ^  ^'  '"'*"'^  '^*'««-  "^l  «>• 

i<iddd)^S27tT^:    -^'y^T'  "  h'-dred  feet,  the  «>llers 

These  rovers Let:\rCaaTrino^^  ^^  ^^ 

height  of  six  or  seven  f^»f  .v^      .l    ,     ?  °  *  fr»™«work  to  the 

caUe  is  delivered  lil^^^^^^^  ^.f^^  ''  «»«  »P-  deck.  After  th. 
which  is  secured  by  Lge  ,Zn"L  """ '"u  "'^  ^''^  *heel(i), 
This  wheel,  or  sheaTettTt  r'""  T  '^'  "**"'  '^^  *^«  ««?• 
diameter,  aid  hrriLVr*T  '""^' "  •^°*  ^^^  f««*  ^ 
was  of  c  uri^"htefe^7:  n  "  "?''  "^"P;    ^  **'«  '«^P"*  "^  *l»«  -^P 

theafte^arri^XitrdT::':^ 

coal  and  by  the  removal  of  ."e  ship^l^^h '^h    "  T?'"  **' 
preserved  uutil  the  whole  work  waToomp  L  '^'^'^"'*°*  ""^ 


^ 


•wt 


THK  flECOm)  4nJU.TI0  KXPEDrnON. 


^ 


V 


After  the  first  ooil,  A,  is  ex- 
haaated,  the  lln6  is  taken  from 

ii    the  coil^B,  through  the  hatohes 
of  the  spar,  main,  and    berth 
decks,  ita^oourse  being  regulated 
,  bj  the  iron  rings  or  feir-leaders 
throtigh   which   it  pusses,  and 
which    prevent     its ;    surging. 
These  fiiir-leaders  are  different 
from  those  represented  in  an-  s 
other  engraring  in  thus  being 
fastened   to   the    hatches,  and 
cannot  of  course  bo  raised  or 
lowered.      The  part  of  the  il- 
lustration representing  the  pay- 
ipg-out   machine  is  necesBarilj 
on  such  a  limited  scale  as  to 
render  any  attempt  to  give  the 
detail  altogether  impossible.     It 
is,   however,   illustrated  in  an- 
other part  of  this   work,    and 
^U  be  found,  with  a  full  de- 
«K)ripti<m,  under  the  appropriate 

^.Jbead,:.  .^^j^  -■ 

*>THlt  COILS,  ETC.,  ON  THl 
NUGA&A. 

The  subjoiaed  engraving  is 
intended  to  show  the  internal 
arrangements  and  apparatus  for 
the  coiling  and  paying  out  of  the 
oable,  and  may  be  regarded  aa 
substantially  aoonrate^.its  de- 
tafls.  At  fint  view  Shere  ap. 
pears  to  be  very  slight  differ- 
eno*  between  Uie  two  cable  ships, 
but  it  wUl  be  seen  that  the' 
Bomber  of  ooila  on  board  the 
Niagara  ia  about   doable  the 


187 


3 


S 

ii 

1! 

il 


II 


II 


Is 


I 


number  on  the  Agamemnon,  and  that  the  coil  in  the  hold  of  the 
fOTOW  M  not  so  krge  as  that  in  the  hold  of  the  latter  by  several 
imodwd  nules.   The  strain  on  this  part  of  the  Niagara,  therefore,  was  not 


1 


/ 


V 


^  I; 
L 


.   hi 


''''M€2Y''''^-f 


mi 
tit, 


'IM 


'i'kj  :<: 


H. ' 


i 


ii 


fiii 


ih 


r; 


li    ' 


ii 


188 


«^  .     * 


•  ^ 


THB  OCKAir  BLBQBAPa. 


.t^i  ji''::  ""^j" «» fc«  «*  *.  in^x^s^i^ 

"-chine  w«  fl^  «  near  the  W„  ~LZ^^lt^K  ^^* 
oes.  of  paying  ont;  the  aheare.  were  ee^LS^lM  ^^  ?"*  ^"^ 
Btrong  wooden  beams.  **"««»«<*  •»!  Md  in  their  plaoea  bj 

THB  CABLE  6uABDa 
Among  the  preoautioM  which  we*w  t&V«>  ♦«         .  ,  , 
.cable  is  that  of  the  .tern  J^s  wUeW        ,^""1*"*  '^"^  **»  '^•- 
each  of  the  ahipa.     Th^J^l      .     ''"  P^^***  «^"  '''•^»«"w  of 
tact  with  the  -oVb^ljrlTi.Tjri^"  ""^^  ^  ~- 
woold  be  Broken.    In  IsSthTwL        ^  °*^*'  ***  ^^  *^«  *"« 
i-n  bpra,  which  it  J:12^%::S  :^*?'^-»«™  wiUi.^^ 

^aneeofthe  water  when  r:l7:L  ^^^/'C^*  ^'  "^ 
proM«n,jrexperieno6  to  be  a  fcll.i,}n„   -7  ^' ;         '  **<'»«Te'»  »«• 

V  TllM        »"~i<»M»A»^  -ewal  olkthe  ban  having  ' 

^S^^SSHiai---—,.^  yielded  and  broke  ander  the 

prearore.     In  <new  of  this 
feci  Mr.  Everett  dedded  on 
adopting    another  atyle  -of 
gOMii,  which  would  a&sww 
the  same  puipowj,  and  which 
would  alao  be  frm  {r<m  the 
difficulty  to  which  tho  other 
waa  anbjecL     A  glanoe  rt 
the  engr^ii^   wiU  ^re  a 
•«w«FA«o;n,»u«*,4.  *»"«»*  idea  of  that  which 

.     Thiawa.amovableguMd.andcrmMiT'S'***^    • 
<>fthechain.bywhici.i,^j;lS"^C^^^ 


.  < 


-»  J 


;*■■;■ 


m 


the'affMii 

put  of  the 
In  the  Item, 
«  aod  iUr- 
irt  of  H  on 
laaes,  which 
h  were  the 
rganomber 
la,  and  the 
uiapporti 
I  made  the 
ied  in  one 
one,  which 
top.    The 
A  the  pro- 
pUoeebj 


M 


y 


N 


/r 


-  -J   ,-    ,.:: 


■( 


^  to  the. 
"^srew  of 
£  in  oon- 
the  oable 
th  strong 
)r  reeiit- 
iTer,  wu 
I  having 
ider  the 
of  this 
ided  OA 
Fie  -of 
Mmreir 
[  whieb 
m  th« 
»  ot^    . 
jioe  at 
give  a 
whioh 


*'•- 


y 


^ 


•u 


means 
wdbj 


-.jy 


n0: 


SI, 


\   f.ll  i 


Mi 


l.»ii.» 


.i 


T^n^^ 


mrnms 


?E^i,'v*-S3v^'W"^ 


,-Vi-;;K^*;- 


lUniTIII  II    iJ«»«JL.J 


■  V  ■■^'^-  *i'^->y.-.''".^v'^-v-"'".-  '  '-/;  "f  ",;'■/■" 


THB  SBOOWD  ATLAJSTIO  EXrEDITIOK. 


189 


a  Btrong  bma  plate,  which  was  fartened  to  the  side  of  the  ship  with  twelve 
copper  boltB.  The  advantage  of  this  movable  guard  will  be  readily 
appreciated.  It  codd  be  raised  to  such  a  height  when  necessary  as  to 
entirely  dear  it  from  the  water.  Then  it  was  intended,  that  if  icebergs 
or  other  obatructions  should  render  it  necessary  to  back  the  ship,  the 
guard  should  be  immediately  lowered,  and  lowered  to  such  a  depth  as  to 
prevent  the  cable  being  iigured  or  broken  by  the  screw.  The  length  of 
the  guard  fh)m  the  hinge  (6)  to  the  outer  line  (d)  is  27  feet,  and  its 
greatest  diameter  athwart  ships  is  22  feet  6  inches.  When  hauled  up, 
the  extreme  end  (d)  cleared  the  rudder-iron  (o)  about  two  feet  The 
stern  sheave  (c)  over  which  the  cable  ran  m  its  course  before  it  reJfehed 
the  water  was  about  fou*  and  a-half  feet  in  diameter,  and  the  groove  at 
least  five. inches  deep.  A  guard  kept  the  cable  from  Surging  and 
workiilg  out  of  the  groove. 

The  Agamemnon,  as  may 
be  seen  from  the  following 
illustration,  is  provided  with 
a  guard  similar  to  that  on  tiie 
Niagara. 

A  passage  was  left  on 
eiHier  side  of  the.  wheel,  to 
rend^it  accessible  when 
necessary,  and  this  was  ren- 
dered secure  and  safe  by 
strong  wooden  railings, 
strengthened  by  iron  up- 
rights, the  whole  resting  or 
oonstracted  upon  two  mas- 
sive beams,  which  ran  in  on 
the  deck  of  the  ship,  where 
they  were  firmly  attached. 

The  following  engraving 
presents  th«stem  sheave  or 
whed  on  a  more  enlarged 


•VABS  or  TBI  AOAioaaiox. 


It  wis  intended  to  put  a 
eage  around  the  propeller, 
like  that  whieh  was  attached 
to  the  Niagara  In  1857,  but 
the  lireftNnoe  was  given  to  a 
movable  guard,  so  that  in  this 
<putioaUr  both  ihipi  were 
alik*. 


* 


ummtawtn 


wnut  cvABD  ov  m  AftAminM 


ft 


I 


'.       >(J 


hi 


if 

i   'i 


St: 


190 


THE   OCEAN  TELKOBAPH. 


.  t 


Jl^' 


V^ 


w 


THE  MACHINE  THAT  LAID  THE  CABLE, 
CONSTRCTCTED  BY  MB.  W.  1.  BVEROTT, 

Afl  the  success  of  the  enterprise  depended  mainly  npon  the  constrnc 
tion  of  the  paying-out  machinery,  and  its  adaptability  to  the  work  it 
waa  intended  for,  a  detailed  description  of  its  various  parts  becomes 
necessary  to  a  perfect  understanding  of  the  subject.     To  render  the 
matter  more  easy  of  comprehension,  we  have  presented  in  the  aocom- 
panymg  illustrations  not  only  the  prombent  features,  but  the  minor  de- 
tells  of  the  machine.     Before  proceeding,  however,  to  the  description. 
we  wish  to  make  a  few  preliminary  remarks,  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
the  nature  of  the  work  which  it  has  to  perform.     It  is  n^dless,  almoeT 
to  state  that  the  machine  used  on  the  expedition  of  1857,  was  so  imper- 
fect that  It  caused  the  parting  of  the  cable.     That  fact  has  been  eslab, 
hshed  beyond  dispute  but  it  may  not  be  generally  understood  that  the 
prmcip^  defect  in  the  machine  was  in  the  form  of  brake  used.     The' 
object  of  a  brake  is  to  counteract  or  4imini8h  the  speed  of  the  wheels  by 

which  surround  th.  periphery  of  the  brake  wheel,  and  inside  of  which 

or  diminished  the  sheaves  round  which  the  cable  passes,  and  which  are 

rapidity.  This,  then  is  the  object  of  the  brake;  but  the  brake  to  be 
fitted  for  this  particular  work  must  be  self-releasing, «,  that  after  reach^ 
ing  the  required  pr^sure  it  cannot  exceed  it.     It  was  the  entire  want 

«pedition,  that  rendered  it  not  only  useless,  but  fatal  to  its  success.  Z 
the  co^truction  of  the  m.d.i,.ery  which  was  put  on  board  the  A^e^ 
non  and  xViagara,  and  which  was  designed  by  and  made  undTtre 
direction  and  supervision  of  Mr.  W.  E.  Everett,  this  point  redivad 
P^icular  attention.  In  the  first  place  the  machiie  subLes  twTZ^ 
Ij^e^it  IS  both  winding  in  and  paying  oui^while  two  separrtl^2 

t  was  not  so  cumbe«ome,  being  about  one-fourth  the  weight:  and  iSt^ 
third  place  It  occupied  much  less  sf^.    But  the  mostlm^o^rf^ 

^      M  ^l  'u  "^  '*^  "''«*  distinguished,  is  the  seT^^j^ 
rtTS    J^"  ''"^''  ""^  '^'  """^  ereater  ease  with  which  it  ZS 
regukted  a«d  controUcd.     Of  the  U.^  number  of  engbecrs  who  w,V 
Bcssed  rt  m  operat^^n,  not  one  expressed  an  unfavorable  opinion 
chin!  .1  t      *".*    • '^*"*^°  ^  '"^^  to  give  •  rear  view  of  the  n*. 

kave.  the  sheaves  or  four  grooved  wheels  (c  e),  which  are  but  partially 
•een,  and  the  ol^iefit  of  the  dynamometer.  P"»«Mjr 


/ 


^ -' —^"•^-•■Ji— " 


.  Jvfc.,*«»S  I^Kl(!(.<.*«*«» 


THB  SEOOND  ATLAKTIO  .EXFEDITION 


/ 


The  first  glance 
at  this  engraving 
mil  show  at  once 
the  great  difference 
in  the  form  of  the 
mitdune,  as  com- 
pared with  that 
tued  before.  While 
the  old  paying-out 
concern  eonsiated  of 
fonr,  this  has  only 
two  wheels,  each  of 
which  has  four 
groores,  the  grooves 
being  each  four  and 
a  half  inches  deep, 
The  surging  of  the 
cable  out  of  the 
shallow  grooves  that 
marked  the  periphe- 
ry of  the  former 
machine  proved  the 
necesfflty  of  making 
these  nearly  twice 
as  deep.  This  is 
one  of  the  lessons 
that  was  gained  by 
experience  and 
judgment  The  dy- 
namometer Is  in- 
tended not  only  to 
show  the  strain  upon 
-the  cable,  but  also  to 
teleaso  the  cable 
from  that  strain 
thonld  tJie  self- 
releasing  brakes 
through  any  acci- 
dent hare  been  nn- 
ftble  to  perform  their 
"^art.  liieironfhtme- 
work,  on  whi<di  the 


?i  *  i 


192 


THK  OOKAN  TBLSOSAra. 


niMhinery  ib  placed,  is  repreaented  by  51,  and  the*  prooeu  u  easily  et 
pUinod  by  the  letters  which  mark  the  different  part*    The  large  pulley 
(D)  moves  up  and  down  in  grooree,  and  is  attached  to  the  piston  (P) 
moving  u,  the.  water  cylinder  (B).     The  cable  (H)  which  passes  ftL 
the  gmde  wheel  (K)  under  the  pulley  to  another  wheel  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  dj-namometer,  forms  an  angle  under  the  pulley  that  is  rroder- 
ed  more  or  less  acute  by  the  strain  or  pressure  produced  by  the  brakes. 
The  greater  the  strain,  the  less  acute  the  angle  becomes,  and  the  higher 
the  puUey  rises  on  the  scale  (C).    Now  this  scale  (C)  is  marked  or  md- 
uated  from  twelve  hundred  fo  thirty-six   hundred  pounds.     It  I  in 
ftct,  a  sort  of  a  spring  baknce,  the  only  differencb  being  in  the  gradilat- 
ing  of  the  scale,  which  in  the  dynamometer  shows  a  numerical  Lreaso 
as  you  ascend  while  in  the  spring  balance  the  numbers  become  greater 
a,  you  descend  the  scale.     The  weights  by  which  the  strain  is  inSeased 
on  the  cable  at  th«  pomt  in  proportion  to  the  pressure  on  the  brakes 
a«plj.ed  upon  the  rest,  which  is  seen  above  the  water  cylinderTBl 
The  oUier  purpose  which  the  dynamometer  serves  is  as  follows  •     Bv 
•  sunplc  contrivance  it  is  made  to  act  as  a  means  of  jeleasing  the  brakes 
when  they  have  failed  in  releasing  themselves.     oTma/whos^l 

!?°A"  .  ;r.  V^l""^  ^'^  ""'"»  '^"  ^"^''  "I«"«r-     The  wheel  (E) 
which  he  holds  in  his  hand,  by  being  turned  to  the  right  or  left  tiirhins 

^ed^a^XC)  which  is  attached  to  the  tri^gular  shiped  frl  tt 
paying-out  machina     The  tightening  or  drawing  on  thrchain  rai«^  Z 

and  by  thus  raising  the  weights  releases  the- brake,  from  the  pre^' 
TneS^ar  "^^  "^^^'  *"^"  -'  ^  *^«  ^^^^P*^-  ^^ 

hJ^'  ^tt'  ?  ^^  "I  "^r^  "^  ""PP^  "^"^  ''»*«'.  to  prevent  the 

aw!        ?,  "^  f '•^  ^°"  *"°*^^°'  «»  °P«"«»"  whichcomJl 
about  two  gallon.  ^  hour.    It  was  proposed  to  use  oil,  but  as  T^Z 

not  considered  better  thsn  water,  comri^derations  of  economy  pr^aij? 

«d  the  latter  was  adopted  in  preference'.    Beyond  the  brake  whUb^' 

^grooved  sheaves  (oc)  round  which  th.  cable  is  p*»edfburThl  bt 

whioh  are  only  partially  visible.    These  sheaves  are  eaehsixfe^t^ 

d«net^.  whUe  the  brake  wheels  are  not  more  th«i  four  alT.I^    (^ 

emgoyed  m  winding  ui,  in  which  case  a  pinion  wheel  i.  put  on  the^ 
Sfof  I  "  .*^'^:?««'  'J*  •  *»''We  forty.hor«e  en^  on  ihe^ 
«de^thediip.    None  of  this  gearing  i.  ahown  inTIngravtgfS 

tttrtdT".^.'*"  ^r^^^  ««ay  understood  Xa»C' 
tration,  and  abo  for  the  no  less  fordblo  mson  that  it  wodd  only  wj 


■V- 


vt 


TIIK  SECOND  ATLANTIC  EXPEPITION. 


\ 


193 


to  make  the  drawing  confused  tad  complicated  to  no  purpose.  There 
are  four  brake  wheels,  thp  pressure  6n  which  can  be  increased  bjsweighta 
to  two  tons  and  upwards.  I'he  passage  of  the  cable  from  the  coil  to'tHe 
sea  is  so  arranged  that  the  slightest  tendency  to  kink  is  stopped  at 
once.  From  the  very  moa^ent  it  leaves  the  circles  till  it  passes  over  the 
;  bobbins  and  on  the  machine,  it  is  subject  to  a  greater  or  less  strain,  , 
which  keeps  it  straight  ikhroughont  its  whole  course  until  it  enters  the 
water.  After  passing  over  several  bobbins,  it  enters  the  compressor  (t), 
which  carries  it  safely  to  the  guide  whcol  (a),  on  which  it  takes  one  turn, 
and  on  which  it  is  subject  to  a  still  higher  strain,  regulated  by  the  friction 
wheel  (i).  The  strain  produced  by  this  and  the  compressor  (i)  is  very  slight, 
and  only  helps  to  straighten  it  out  before  it  reaches  the  sheaves.  From 
the  guide  wheel  (a)  it  passes  into  the  groove?  ai^d  around  the  wheels  or 
sheaves  four  times,  after  which  it  is  delivered  to  the  guide  wheel  (A^)  ;P 
then  going  under  the  pulley,  it  reaches  another  wheel  beyond  the  dyna- 
mometer, from  which  it  is  transferred  to  the  slieave  at  the  stern,  the  last- 
part  of  the  machinery  it  touches  on  its  way  into  the  ocean. 

Upon  tlie  operation  of  the  brakes,  the  success  of  the  expedition,  as 
we  jave  already  said,  depends  .in  a  great  measure.  The  greatest  pare 
and  attention  have  therefore  beeiJ  giVen  to  their  construction.  The 
defects  of  those  used  last  year  have  beoa  pointed  out  already,  and 
out  readers  will  consequently  be  the  better  a1)le  to  appreciate  the  way 
in  which  these  are  planned.  For  the  principle  on  \yhioh  they  are  made 
Mr.  Appold  is  entitled  to  some  credit ;  but  material  alterations  and 
modifications  were  required  before  they  could  be  adapted  to  the  use  to 
which  they  have  been  applied.  In  the  following  illustration  is  present- 
ed a  perfect  representation  o^  the  brakij'and  its  mode  of  action . 

The  shaft  which  is  marked  B  in  the  preceding  figure,  and  on  which 
u  placed  the  four  grooved  sheave,  is  shown  by  the  letter  a  in  the  fore- 
going. The  speed  of  the  Sheave  and  brake  wheel  is  thus  made  uniform, 
a  point  which  is  of  course  absolutely  essential  in  checking  at  any  time 
the  rate  at  which  the  cable  is  bebg  paid  out.  That  the  simple  action 
of  the  brake  may  be  the  better  understood,  we  have,  however,  merely 
shown  those  parts  which  are  necessary  to  that  end,  leaving  out  whatever 
would  tend  to  complicate  or  confuse  the  drawing.  The  parts  here  pre- 
sented are  the  shafts,  the  brake,  the  friction  strap,  the  elm  blocks,  the 
levers,  the  connecting  rods,  the  weights  by  which  the  strain  on  the  cable 
is  increased,  the  water  cylinder,  the  chain  connecting  the  sliufl  on  which 
the  weights  are  put,  with  dynamometer,  portion  of  water  tank,  and  a 
sectiop  of  pillar  to  which  the  triangular  part  of  the  brake  apparatus  w 
atUwhed.  All  of  these  may  be  easily  iistinguisHed  by  reference  to  the 
ezplaoation  at  the  foot  of  the  engraving. 
18 


\i 


\i 


#. 


>.,.<„-.. 


'p^ 


194 


TUB  OCEAN  TELKORAPH. 


■'■■    I' 
i     '  ' 

m 

Iff! 


iff;-  I 


The  periphery  (A) 
of  the  brake  wheel  is 
twelve  inches  wide, 
and  the  whole,  with- 
out  the  brake  fixtnres, 
ia  somewhat  more 
thau  four  feet  in  di- 
ameter. The  shafts, 
as  may  be  seen,  are  of 
*!l^l  a  curved  fonn,  aad  th6 
Si  >  .  B  a  vhecl  is  made  of  cast 
iron.      On  the  peri- 

•-coa  V^^U    ""    *^«    ^1™ 
^|lT|  blocks    {d  d),  which 

g^llao  are    bound    togtither 

2  Su^l^  by  a  strong  strap  or 

s  Te  .9  9 


band  of  iron  (c).  The 

I  f  g§|3  blocks  are  secured  by 

"  i^sIS  inoftns  of  screws,  the 

heads  of  which  can  be 

seen  above  the  strap. 


3*8? 6  The  two  ends  of  this 
£|||g  strap,  or  band,  are 
S-2^-S  attached  to  the  leyer 
•«a^|l  is),  which  is  held  by 
t-|^Bc  *^®  stirrup  or  socket 
l^lli  ('•)•  ^^«  tightening 
«  e|^  I  of  the  strap,  and  the 
Tflfe55  consequent  compresa- 
^IjJ  ^^  ing  of  the  elm  blocks 
"^51  g  "Pon  the  periphery 
•^liaf  of  the  brake  wheel 
causes  it  to  revolve 
more  slowly,  and  pro- 
duces the  same  effect  upop  the  sheave  wheel  over  which  the  cable  is 
passing  But  while  the  brake  wheel  revolves  the  brake  blocks  are  of 
course  stationary,  moving  only  sufficient  for  the  purpose  of  compressing 
or  releasing  the  brake  wheel.  The  tightening  or  compressing  is  effected 
by  increasing  the  weights  on  the  piston,  which  can  be  raiwed  to  two  tooa 
if  neoeesary.  Th«re  are  foot  brakes  to  the  machinery,  so  that  by  put- 
ting ten  bundred  poinds  on  eafeh  piston  the  pressure  can  be  increased  to 
four  thousand.     Now  as  this  weight  is  increased  on  the  pistons,' the  pi»- 


,',i? 


•^^Mw?^^ 


t-'j/jri.-iii! 


I'jS*, 


THK  BBCOND  ATIAimc  EXPEDITION. 


196 


■aowni«  TH«  AonoH  oh  noi  beaxb. 


(otw  partiaUy  dosoend  into  the  cylinder,  pulling  down  to  a  proportionate 
degree  the  rod  (h),  which  tightens  the  brake  band  (c  cf,  thus  producing 
the  rcqairisd  strain  npon  the  cable,  which  strain  is  indicated  upon  the 

'  aeal4  of  the  dynamoineter.  As  the  shaft  is  drawn  over  to  the  right  by 
the  increase  of  weights  npon  the  piston,  the  lever  is  actod  upon  as  illus- 
trated in  the  following :  ^ 

The  engraving  is  intended  to  rbpre- 
seOl  the  brake  strap,  the  lever,  and  the 
atirmp.  If  yon  desire  to  oomprcss  by 
redueing  the  oircnmference  of  the  strap 
(which  is  shown  here  without  the  elm 
blo<lks)  yon  pull  the  lever  (e)  to  the  left 

'  baod,  and  by  so  doing  move  the  other 
end  of  the  strap  (b)  towards  the  right. 
This  is  a  Biiiq>le  process  and  easily  under- 
stood.  As  yon  pull  on  the  lever  (c)  you 
draw  upon  the  two  ends  (6  and  a)  of  th^ 
brake  strap,  but  the  distance  travelled  by  b  and  a  at  the  same  time  is 
not  equal,  and  in  this  consists  the  principle  of  the  tightening  or  compres- 
ston.  The  end  a  being  nearest  the  centre  dod^  not  of  coarse  move  over 
so  raoeh  space  as  b,  which  is  on'the  circumference,  so  that  when  the  lever 
ia  moved,  th«  end  6,  by  travellbg  further  than  a,  tightens  the  strap. 
Bat  in  the  engraving  of  "  the  brake  wheel  and  its  conneotions,'*  the  rod 
(h)  which  ia  attached  to  the  brake  strap  at  s,  performs  this  part  of  the 
operation — Uiat  is,  the  tightening  of  the  brake  strap.  The  junotion  of 
the  ends  of  the  strap  at  the  lever  (g)  is  on  the  Mme  principle  as  (hat 
#e  have  illnatisted.  As  the  rod  is  drawn  to  the  right  by  the  increase 
of  weights  en  the  piston,  the  same  action  is  produced  on  the  brake  band 
as  if  the  lever  were  used.  The  ends  of  the  strap  travel  unequal  dis- 
tances, as  has  been  shown,  the  outer  one  .going  over  more  space.  The 
end  of  the  lever  ia  held  in  Uie  stirrup  or  aooket,  against  whi6h  it  is 
polled  oloaer  by  the  action  of  the  rod  (h)  upon  the  straps.  The  action 
•«t  the  chain  (A  m)  and  wheel  (n)  is  explained  in  the  description  of  the 
dynamometer.  When  the  brakes  do  not  release  themselves  from  the 
pressore  of  th«  weigfata  on  the  piston  rod,  and  exceed  that  pressure-^ 
ilinch  as  to  endanger  die  safety  of  the  cable,  the  man  at  the  dynamome- 
ter by  a  torn  of  the  wheel  raises  the  weights,  and  thus  relieves  the 
brskea.  The  rods  («  «)  are  intended  to  relieve  tiie  upper  part  of  frie- 
tioa  stwp  of  weij^t  of  lower  part; 

The  following  subjoined  front  view  of  paying-out  machine  is  designed 
to  shOTr  the  sheave  wheels,  the  guides,  the  compressor,  and  the  scrapwa,  ^ 


m 


^iKi^^ 


:^-!;x-^:f-:A-c--- 


106 


THE  OOMkS  TBLBOBAPH, 


all  the  other  portiona  being  Jeft  oat  that  thew  may  be  nore  dutinelly 


ml 


seen : 

The  cable  pawea  through 

the  guide  (^)  on  to  a  light 

sheet    iron    wheel    (jB) — 

.  plaoed  for  the  pforpoee   of 

steadying  it  on  entering  the 

groove  of  the  large  wheel 

— passes   round    {C)    and 

back  and  ander  and  over 

(D),  thus  making  four  half  > 

turns  on  eaoh  wheel-v^final- 

ly  over  the  small  wheel  (i?)>  * 

thence    under    the    dyi|Ui- 

-  nlometer  and  over  another 

^  wheel  similar  to  {O)   and 

I  orerboard. 

i  The  cable  first  enters- 
E  throu|^  the  opmpresser  or 
«  guide  (A),  takes  one  turn 
I  round  the  guide  wheel  (B), 
•>  which  is  made  of  sheet 
g  iron,  and  which  is  goverped 
I  and  regulated  by  the'firie- 
f.  tion  whettl  (d),  and  weight- 
I  ed  as  shown  in  the  drawing 
of  "the  paying-out  ma- 
chine." From  this  it 
passes  round  G,  and  from 
0  to  D,  and  so  on  till  it 
.  has  passed  four  times  over 
both,  when  it  is  received 
by^the  small  guide  wheel, 
from  which  it  is  transferred  ^ 
to  the  dynamometer.  -The^ 
.  Boraper  (T),  which  is  se^ 
cured  on  the  shaft  between 
the  two  wheels,  is  armed 
with  ei^t  teeth,  four  on 
eaoh  side,  which  fit  into  the 
grooves.  These  teeth  olbar  out  the  tar  as  the  wheels  pass  round,  and 
ihns  prevent  it  from  hardening  and  collecting  in  the  grooves.      The 


■f 


uV^ 


,v.  x>x 


-5^1^64 


■^l^  . 


THB  ^BOOKD  ATLANTIO  EXPEDITION. 


197 


following  IB  »  representation  of  a  Sheave  wheel,  which  will  serre  to  giro 
a  clearer  idea  of  its  form  a&d  the  form  Of  the  grooves  than  could  pog- 
ribly  be  given  bja  front  view  of  the  machine  itself : — 


E 


-•- 


A  HnJLTB  vbbh.  iBowixa  <■■  amovrta. 


m  (cairoi. 


(a)  Shift. 

(6)  Fingers  of  sorapor. 

loula^ 


y^t  8ptS'b«ltl*4*Jo  deok,  to  which  U  •ttache.l  lever  (e),  bat  wUoh  relMM*  It  If  my  thing 
thoula^reivbig  the  groorea. 

.  ,     ♦ 

The  oljeot  of  the  scraper  has  been 'already  explained,  but  ita  form 
cannot  fee  perfectly  seen,  on  account  of  its  position  on  the  machine. 
Tbo  for€|gobrg  illustration,  therefore,  becomeB  necessary. 

A  is  the  sh^lt  on  which  the  scrapert  are  placed,  and  6  the  four  teeth 
which  enter  the  grooves  of  the  irb.e«\  for  the  purpose  of '  preventing  the 
aeonmuUtipn  of  tar.  By  means  of  the  spring  («l),  which  is  boltwl  to  the 
deck,  and  the  lever  (c),  the  scraper  could  be  at  once  released,  if  the 
grooves  were  ovordogged  or^filled  up  by  any  fbreign  substance  getting 
into  them.' 

THE  CABLE  BUOYS. 

In  addition  to  t^ie  mechanical  contrivances  which  have  been  so  fully 
described,  two^arge  buoys,  each  capable  of  sustaining  a  weight  of  five 
or  six  tons,  were  put  on  board  the  Niagara,  bo  that  in  the  event  of  her 
being  obliged  by  stress  of  weather  to  slip  the  cable,  it  might  be  attached 
ta  this.'^  This  was  to  be  effected  by  means  of  a  wire  cable  eight  or  ten 
miles  in  leflgth,  one  end  of  which  was  seouredf  to  the  end  of  the  sub- 
marine cable,  and  the  otfier  to  the  buoy,  thus  taking  the  great  strun 
off  it 


# 


!!  I 


a^^i',*  Av- 


». 


? ) 


i»vtt,<^«^'*K.' 


r^'j^ 


m 


TUB  OOKAN  1«n.BO>APH. 


'If 


i'  • 


|i 


I 


'^ 


'  THS  BXi'EBIMKMTia.  TRIP  OF  TQJB  BQUAMUUT  TO  TUB  UAlt  OF  BISCAY.. 

The  29th  of  May,  the  i»j  on  wLioh  th«'  wiudroD'  Miled  from  Plj> 
month,  on  tb«  experimental  trip  to  the  Btj  of  Biaoaj,  was  remarkably 
fine,  and  as  there  had  been  a  oontipoona  gale  of  some  two  weeks'  dura- 
tion, wo  entered  upon  the  work  before  us  with  erery  proapeot  of  a  long 
spell   of  fair  weather — a  proepoot  in  which  we  were  not  diaaf^nted. 
Bvery  thing  neoeraary  to  the  sacoess  of  the  tipp  was  arranged  two  or 
three  days  previous  to  our  departure.     The  matohi^wPy  was  in  excellent 
working  order,  the  buoya  were  provided  with  the  necessary  tftokle,  and 
the  experience  whioh  the  men  had  obtained  by  working  at  the  cable 
.proved  of  th^  greatest  advantage  in  making  the  experiments.     A  eon- 
snltition  was  had  between  the  captains  and  the  engineers  of  the  com- 
pany ii^Mgard  to  the  point  at  whioh  the  vessels  should  eommeaoe  their 
experiments,  and  after  due  deliberation  it  was'  decided  that  lat  47,  Ion. 
10,  would  be  quite  far.  enough-     This  is  joft  on  the  verge  of  the  Bay  of 
Biscay,  whioh  bears  such  a  terrible  reputation  for -boisterfSKtwelfcher^ 
and  which  it  was  supposed  would  afkni^very  opportunity  for  testtjkg 
the  practicability  of  splioing.and  lijjj^fxae  cable  in  a  rough  sea,  and 
under  tlie  moat  unfavorable  oiroumstanoes.  'So 'lat  47,  Ion.  10,  was 
selected  as  the  preoise  locality  for  the  experiments.     After  leaving  Ply- 
mouth Sound,  therefore,' the  squadroit  made  as  direct  a  coarse  as  possi- 
ble for  this  pqint.     It  wag  between  four  and  five\  o'clock  in  the  after- 
Zof  the  20th  of  May  when  Ae  four  Tesse^s  \got  under  way— 'the 
„  nemnon  leading,  the  Gorgon,  the- Niagara,  aa^  the  Taloroua,  fol- 
lowing in  regular  succession.     They  xtaried  at  a  rate  of  five  miles,  and 
^^ing  their  course  oat  varied  from  that  to  a  speed  of  eight  miiea  p«r 
war.    The  whole  of  Sunday  no  bhange  was.olierved  in  the  green  eolor 
of  the  water  denoting  a  greater  depth,  and  the  squadron  kept  i 
making  sounding     Monday,  iiowevw,  H^  had  turned  to  a 
showing  that  we  had  reached  the  great  vqiths,  although  we 
arrived  at  the  locality  decided  apon  for  the  experiments. 
made4>y  the  Gorgon,  under  the  oommimd  of  Captain  Ba^an,  to  sonndi, 
v^i  the  whol^  squadron  hove  to  to  await  the  result. 
;^^*"«  ""^  in  latitude  47°  12'  K.,  long.  9°  82*  W.,  or  abooi  thirty 
'"^^Wl^Si'f  ^fO^  ^e  point  deoided  apon  before  starting  from  Plj- 
libseqaently  diown  by  the  aoandii^  of  the  Gor- 
r.  ^1?his,  then,  it  was  evident,  was  the  plaoe 
f,  »n4  itjni  di|tenninod  that  we  should  proeewl  io 
ionts  at  onllir  Aoeording  to  the  memonada  dnrtm  op 
by  tiie  engine^,  the  Niagara  a{^>roaohed  Uie  Agamemnon  within,  a  «oa- 
venient  distanoe,  when  a  line  was  passed  in  a  boat  to  the  Agamemnon, 


-'rJ^J^-^4^^ 


^.O^J^-'.^V^  ^,^^  A. 


fl' 


/ 


TIIK   BKOOMD   ATLANTIC   EXBJDlTIfiN. 


190 


by  which  a  hawBor  wm  haulnd  on  board  the  latter,  and  by  which  »l«o 
ihe  two.*hipft  W(JM  fantenod  stem  tOi  gH-m.     It  munt  not  bo  Huppo«ed 
i|iwfeT^.  ^'a*  *•»«?  "«"'  actually  in  contact,  fm  i\>ey  wwre 
lufidrcd  foet  apart,  and  a"  each  vcmmI  had  itoam 
ingor,  with  proper  managcmept,  of  tiitiir  coming  in 
he  two  vesHfilB  now  being  ^firmly  Bccnred,  the  end  of  the  tel- 
p..  ^^.^  vfBS  passed  from  the  Niagara  to  the  Agamemnon,  where  it 
agreed  the' splice  Bhould  be  uffectedT    The  objo<k  of  this  expiirimeut 
was  to  p^ve  the  practicability  of  accomplishing  what  is,  or  was  cob- 
mdj'ro^,  ^ne  of  the  moat  difficult  operations  of  the  whole  expedition— r 
the  upHcing  and  submorging  of  the  cable  in  ^id-odean.     The  greatest 
interest  was  manifested  on  board  our  ship  while  the  splicing  was  being 
performed  on  the  Agamoi'nnon,  and  exery  one  was'itopatient  to  sei)  t^e 
cable  lowered  from  her  stern,  altliough  the  work  was  performed  with 
praisoworth;^.  celerity.     It  was  aboflt  half-past  fire  when  the  signal  was 
displayed  frrfm  that  ship  announcing  that  they  were  ready,  and  a  few 
minutes  after  we  could  see   tho  spliced  portion  hanging  over  the  stom. 
Down'it  went  until  it  disappeare«i  below  the  surface,  and  the  revolving 
oablo  wheel  on  the  stern  j)roved  that  it  was  on  its  way  to  tho  bottom, 
which  Jay  at  a  depth  of  somo  twenty-five  hundred  fathoms  beneath  the  • 
ship.      A    length    of   cable    having    been   paid    out    from    tho  Aga- 
memnon equal  to  the  quantity  used  in  passing  the  oablo  from  ship  to 
ship,  so  that  tho  spUct!  might  be  in  the  centre  of  the  line  formed  by  the 
oablo  between  the  ships,  a  flag  was  hoisted  frOm  the  Agamemnon  con- 
veying intelligence  of  the  fact  to  the  Niagara.     This  was  answered  by 
a  siuiikr  signal  on  the  Niagara,  when  the  two  commenced  paying  out  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  of  oablo  each,  at  the  rate  of  a  mile  an  hour. 

The  cable  used  in  this  trial  was  a  portion  of  that  which  had  been  laid 
la«t  year,  and  which  was  much  weakened  by  exposure.  In  some  ports 
'  theH^Juflte-  wires,  or  protecting  armor,  was  so  oxidized,  that  the  rust  had 
rotted  the  hemp  which  covered  the  gutta  percha.  For  this  reason  it 
parted  several  times  during  the  experiments,  butj^t  the  same  time  with? 
out  interfering  with  their  Bttooessful  accomplishment 

A  quarter  of  a  milej  as  has  been  stated,  was  paid  out,  and,  in  con- 
formity with  the  "  memorajidtt,"  the  signals  on  both  ships  were  hauled 
down,  indicating  that  no  more  paying  out  should  be  done  until  they 
were  again  displayed.  About  ten  minutes  elapsed,  when  the  flags  were 
hoisted,  and  another  quarter  of  a  milo  was,  let  down  into  tho  sea  at  the 
same  apeed— a  mile  an  hour.  This  process  was  repeated  until  a  whole 
milo  had  been  run  out  from  tho  coil  and  4)ver  the  machinery  of  each 
ship,  making  a  total  expenditure  of  two  nUea  from  both  vessels.  The 
process  of  paybg  out  was  performed  by  the  engine  connected  with  the 


J     ,.-1 


i-1 


•i 


^1 


■  Ul 


^ 


'S- 


% 


■*.'-.:-:^''',.  ■!  : 


■r---',,  , :; 


200 


THE  PCKAN  TKLEORAPH. 


w"/ 


,i 


.41  ,' 


machinery  until  the  weight  of  thu  cable  in  the  water  was  sufficient  to  turn 
the  wheels.  Mr.  Pollansbee,  the  chief  engineer  of  the  Niagara,  had  the 
engine  under  his  charge  all  this  time,. and  Mr.  Everett  took  his  sta^  kt 
the  dynamometer,  where  he  regulated  the  pressure  of  the  brakes,  i'he 
Valorous  and  the  Gorgon  were  obliged  to  play  the  part  of  lookers  on, 
and  with  little  profit  or  mformation,  as  they  were  of  course  entirely 
ignorant  of  the  operation^  board  either  of  the  cable  ships. 

While  the  first  splice  was  being  made,  Captain  Preedy,  of  the  Aga- 
memnon, sent  the  following  despatch  through  the  insulated  conductor 
to  Captain  Hudson—"  We  shall  finish  the  splice  in  half  an  hour."         "^ 
Throughout  the  experiments  thus  far  the  machinery  answered  our : 
highest  eSpectations,  and  proved  its  entire  adaptability  to  the  work. 
,.The  brakes  were  under  the  most  coipplete  control,  and  the  dynamometer, 
by  showing  the  strain  to  which  the  cable  was  subject,  placed  it  in  the 
po#er  of  the  man  at  the  wheel  to  increase  or  lessen  that  strain  as 
circumstances  might  demand  or  justify. ,  In  the  expedition  of  1857, 
the  only  difficulty  was  in  the  machinery.     The  wheels  over  wluch  the 
cable  passed  would  not  revolve  when  required,  and   the  strength  of 
twenty  men  was  exerted  upon  them  in  vain.     Then  the  brakes,  when 
put  on,  generally  stopped  the  action  of  tlie  whole  machine,  and  brought 
a  strain  upon  the  line  that  was  almost  always  fatal.     Indeed,  so  patent 
had  t^a  faot^epo^  to  all  in  the  expedition,  that  it  was  doubted  if  a 
hundred' mil€k  ^tW  cable  could  be  suocessfully  submerged,  and  tfieonly 
wonder  was  that^hiy  had  managed  to  get  over  three  hundred  miles  out  of 
,    the  ship  beford^parted.    Every  one  is  agreed  in  regard  to  the  qualities 
of  the  now  emplby^d  paying-out  machine.    On  that  there  is  no  difference 
of  opmion,  whatever  there  may  be  in  regard  to  other  matters  connected 
with  the  Atlantic  TelWph  enterprise.     The  strain,  as  indicated  by 
the  dynamometer,  was  eiiual  to  ^welVe  hundred  pbtods,  and  this  can  be 
graduated  from  any  amoufat  between  five  hundred  and  fifty-five  hundred, 
as  the  engineer  in  charrfo  of  the  brakes  may  determine.     It  is  now  six 
o'clock,  and  the  waiters  |tia,fe:  announced  to  the  officers  that  supper  is  on 
the  table;  but  it  may  be  on  or  under  the  table  just  now  for  all  any 
one  cares;  there  is  more  mteresting  matter  on  hand,  and  until  that  is 
settled  the  supper  may  wait  until  it  is  cold.     Looking  at  the  cable  as 
,it«oraes  out  of  the  coil,  passes  over  the  paying^ut  sheaves,  and  de- 
J     scends  from  the  stem,  is  the  only  thing  worth  attending  to  now,  and  the 
eager  eyes  of  the  sailors  as  they  strain  them  in  vain  endeavors  to  see 
from  the  sides  of  th«  ship  what  is  going;^on  under  the  poop— an  at- 
tempt  to  accomplish  an  impossibility— a  sort  of  shooting-round-the-comer 
operation— proves  only  that  the  spirit  of  curiosity  will  try  to  surmount 
the  most  insurmountable  obsUoles.    «  Now  it  is  going  out  grandly," 


>T   ♦?* 


i-^'/ 


..J 


•*:- 


:  M 


'\  ■ 


*v. 


Ill 


.n't" 


11/ 


.HI 


/:.. 


I  'm. 


PAYING  OUT  THE  CABIIbing  THE  TRUL,  TH 


PAYING  OUT  THE  CABIIbING  THE  TRUL,  TIUV 


%] 


Is      : 

i: 


THE  BECOKD  ATLANTIC  EXPEDmoiT. 


"201 


some  enthosiastio  iirdividaal  exclaims.  A  fact  whidh  a  glanco  at  both  ■ 
machine  and  cable  proves  beyond  the  possibility  of  a  doubt;  The 
machine  revolves  With  the  greatest  ease ;  the  indicator  attached  to  it 
records  the  number  of  fathoms,  and  the  cable  comes  out  of  the  coil 
without  exhibiting  the  slightest  tendency  to  kink.  Whatever  specu- 
lations may  be  entertained  about  its  kinking  as  it  goes  out  of' the  ship, 
they  are  of  very  little  account  compared  with  the  conviucing  ocular 
demonstration  which  is  now  presented.  And  this,  too,  is  the  experi- 
mental cable — the  weakest,  the  most,  imperfect,  and  the  worst  in  every 
way  on  board  the  two  ships.  There  is  a  number  of  men  around  the  coil 
looking  out  for  kinks,  but  they  have  not  yet  been  able  ip  detect  a  single 
one,  and  they  may  stop  where  they  are  for  many  hours  to  come  before 
they  will  succeed.  Captain  Kell  is  overlooking  this  part  of  the  work, 
and  although  about  as  wide  awake  as  he  can  be,  io  can't  see  any  thing. 
Lieutenant  North,  Lieutenant  Macauly,  Lieutenant  Guest,  Lieutenant 
Webb,  Lieutenant  Todd,  Dr.  Green,  Dr.  Hay,  and  all  the  lieutenants 
and  doctors  in  the  ship  pay  a  visit  to  the  coil,  and  they  can't  see  a 
kink ;  and  so  it  is  concluded  on  board  the  ship  that  the  thing  that  could 
be  seen  if  it  existed,  can't  bo  seen  at  all ;  "  argai"  that  thing  conse- 
quently don't  exist. 

The  supper  has  been  an  hour  on  the  table  before  the  officers  think 
it  worth  while,  attending  to,  and  then  they  go  to  work  so  slowly  at  it 
you  would  believe  it  was  a  subject  hardly  worth  discussing.  The  expe- 
riments that  have  been  made  form  the  topic  of  conversation,  and  there 
is  but  one  general  expression  of  opinion  regarding  them,  which  is  one  of 
entire  satisfaction.  The  supper  is  quickly  despatched,  and,  as  the  expe- 
riments are  still  going  on,  the  poop  is  soon  occupied  by  a  crowd  of 
spectators.  Over  a  mile  of  cable  has  been  paid  out  from  each  ship 
(both  vessels  being  still  seven  or  eight  hundred  feet  apart  and  connected 
by  the  hawser),  and  operations  are  suspended  till  it  has  had  ample  time 
to  reach  the  bottom,  which  is  2,530  fathoms  down.  The  dynamometer 
at  this  point  shows  a  pressure  of  3,200  pounds  upon  the  brake,  which  is 
a  strain  of  a  little  more  than  a  ton  and  a-half  upon  the  cable.  While 
they  are  still  waiting  for  the  sinking  of  tlie  lino,  the  Gorgon  comes 
alongside,  and  Captain  Dayman,  who  stands  upon  her  wheel-house, 
announces  in  his  loudgpt  tones  that  they  htivo  sounded  again  and  got 
2,530  fathoms.  Now  this  is  deeper  than  any  soundings  that  have  been 
had  upon  the  Atlantic  Telegraph  plateau,  ajnd  the  experiments  which 
are  made  ought  certainly  to  be  regarded  as  tljoroughly  testing  the  prac- 
ticability of  laying  the  cable  between  Irelai^d  and  Newfoundland,  the 
two  immediate  points  of  connection.  This,  bowever,  was  satisfactorily 
tested  and  proved  last  year,  although  it  may  be  well  now  to  state  the 


'fTTTr^* 


ao2 


THE  OCEAN  TELEOKAPH. 


i 
i 


Ij'   .f 


K, 


If   : 
11   i 


fact  for  the  benefit  of  th»se  Wto  are  still  inclined  to  be  eoeptical  upon 
the  subject 

Agreeably  with  the  terms  of  the  programme,  or  memoranda  of  the 
engineers,  as  it  ia  called,  the  next  thing  is  to  prove   the  practicability 
of  hauli&g  in  thd  cable  on  1)oard  both  ships.     The  engine  is  put  in  gear 
with  the  paying-out  machine,   the  action  of  which  is  reversed,  so  that 
it  can  be  used  as  well  for  the  purpose  of  winding  in.    'Every  thing  bein^ 
in  readiness,  the  procc^  of  hauling  in  was  commenced.      The  ship  was 
backed  very  slowly  until  the   cable  was  "  up  and  down,"  which  means 
at  right  angles  with  the  water,  in  which  position  it  appears  there  is  less 
strain  upon  it  than  in  any  other.     The  wheels  revolved  very  slowly  as 
.  the  line  was  drawn  on  board,  and  half  a  inile  of  it  returned%o  the  coil 
from  yhich  ii  had  been  taken  about  an  hour  before.       At  this  point  of 
the  process  a  message  was  received,  signed  Bright,  stating  that  it  was 
that  gentleman's  wish  the  operation  should  be  suspended  until  he  had 
time  to  make  a  "  new  splice."     It  took  about  three  hours  to  accomplish 
this,  and  when  the  work  was  finished'a  message  was  Sent  to  Mr.  Everett, 
to  the  effect  that  "  all  was  ready."      The  paying-out  process  was  re- 
sumed on  the  receipt  of  this  message,  and  by  half-past  ten  we  had 
succeeded  in  submerging  two  miles.     The  strahi  upon  the  cable,  as 
shown  by  the  dynamometer,  varied  frohi  thirty-six  to  forty-one  hundred 
pounds,  while  this  length  was  suspended  from  the  stern.     Again  the 
action  of  the  machine  was  reversed,  and  the  hauling  in  process  repeated, 
at  a  rate  of  a  mile  an  hour.     This  Mr.  Everett  considered  the  highest 
speed  at  which  it  would  bo  safe  to  work  th«  machinery,  in  consequence 
of  the  weakness  of  the  cable,  which,  it  iiust  not  be  forgotten,  had  been 
previously  condemned  and  set  aside  as  only  fit  to  make  experiiiients 
with.     It  Was  intended,  however,  before  the  close  of  the  trip  to  uie  the 
new  cable  for  the  purpose  of  testing  its  strength,  and  to  settle  the  dis- 
puted  point  as  to  the  practicability  of  taking  it  up,  should  it  be  fo'lttad 
necessary  during  the  final  expc!dit;>jn.      About  a  quarter  to  twelye  this 
night  the  hawser. which  held  both  ships  stem  to  stern  parted  on  board 

the  Agamemnon,  and  thus  concluded  the  experiments  for  the  first  day 

Monday,  May  31.  * 

Second  Day^s  Experimfnis. 

Although  the  cable  which  kept  the  Niagara  and  Agamemnon 
together  had  parted,  the  two  vessels  were  still  kept  in  about  the  same 
.positioti,  and  the  work  proceeded  with  little  or  no  intermission.  Some- 
thing more  than  a  mile  and  a-half  wa#  hauled  in,  when  word  was  sent 
from  the  office  of  the  electrician  on  the  maindeck  that  the  continuity 
Wbs  broken.     Still  the  hauling  in  went  on  sacoessfally ;  and  as  that  was 


THE   SECOND   ATLANTIC   EXl'KPmON. 


203 


the  matter  with  which  Mr.  Everett  had  more  immediately  to  do,  little 
attention  was  paid  to  the  Iohs  of  the  electrical  coutinuity.  Besides',  it 
was  the  imperfect  cable  we  w<^ro  using,  and  it  was  nevor  supposed  that 
it  would  he  of  much  service,  if  any,  for  electrical  experiments.  Tho 
hauling  in,  therefore,  was  continued  till  about  half-past  two  A.  M.,when 
the  end  of  the  cable  came  up  over  the  stern.  Of  tlie  whole  len<^th  paid 
out  not  more  than  one  hundred  and  ten  fatlionin  were  lost.  This  con- 
cluded tho  experiments  till  after  breakfast,  when  they  were  commenced 
with  renewed  energy. 

At  a  quarter  to  nine  A.  M.  a  new  hawser  was  passed  from  the  Niag- 
ara to  the  Agamemnon,  and  both  ships  attached  in  the  manner  already 
described.  The  two  ends  of  the  cable  were  again  spliced,  and  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  paid  out  from  each  ship,  after  which  tiie  hawser  wiw  released. 
Up  to  this  time  they  had  not  allowed  tho  cable  to  pass  out  of  the  Niag- 
ara faster  than  a  mile  an  hoar  ;  but  a  change,  was  now  to  be  made  in 
this  respect,  and  it  was  concluded  t9  boe  the  effect  of  a  more  rapid 
movement  of  the  machinery  and  an  aceuleratod  speed  in  the  paying-out 
process.  Two  miles  of  it  were  permitted,  in  the  language  of  the  engi- 
neer's report,  to  "  run  quite  freely,"  when  the  speed  was  gradually 
checked  while  an  additional  mile  and  about  ffiur  hundred  fathoms  were 
being  submerged.  The  ships  were  under  way  from  the  time  the  hawser 
was  released,  and  continued  moving,  though  at  a  comparatively  slow 
rate,  most  of  the  time  tho  line  was  passing  out.  It  was  now  about  half- 
past  ten,  and  three  miles  had  been  transferred  firom  the  ship  to  the  sea. 
in  the  most  satisfactory  manner,  as  showing  the  admirable  working  of 
the  machinery,  and  the  case  with  which  it  could  be  controlled.  There 
was  one  point,  however,  which  was  not  so  satisfactory,  and  which  it  was 
seen  would  require  the  attention  of  the  engineer  before  the  departure  of 
the  §hips  on  the  final  expedition.  This  was  the  excessive  accumulation 
and  hardening  of  the  tar  in  the  sheaves,  which  it  is  rightly  feared  may 
endanger  the  safety  of  the  cable  if  some  provision  Iks  not  made  in  time. 
Tho  necessity  of  making  such  provision  as  will  obviate  the  difficulty  is 
fully  appreciated  by  Mr.  Everett,  who  will  devise  some  means  by  which 
it  will  bo  altogether  prevented,  or  so  counteracted  as  to  render  all 
danger  therefrom  a  matter  of  impossibility.  If  the  experimental  trip 
made  only  this  difficulty  obvious,  it  was  worth  all  the  time  and  money 
and  labor  which  have  been  expended.  The  accuniuktion  of  the  tar 
in  the  grooves  of  tho  pulley  or  indiisator  of  tho  dynamometer,  and/ 
the  grooves  of  the  wheel  leading  to  the  stern,  rendered  the  use  of 
scraper  absolutely  necessary  to  keep  thom  clear.  A  man  was  "accord 
ingly  appointed  for  this  work  ;  but  while  cleaning  the  groove  of  the 
dioator  wheel,  the  tar  was  so  hard  and  bo  thick  that  it  broke  tho  sorai 


I 


204 


TnR  OCEAN   rELKGRAPn. 


anil  forced  it  into  contact  with  tbc  oa,ble,  which  was  almost  immediately 
severed  at  tho  point  of  contact.  Here,  then,  was  an  additional  erpe- 
riencc  of  the  greatest  value  in  the  .successful  accompli.shnient  of  the  on- 
dertaking.  It  was  made  manifest,  by  the  accumulation  of  the  tar  in  he 
grooves,  tliat  some  plan  should  be  devised  to>»hviato  any  difficulty  from 
such  u  en  ISC,  and  it  was  also  shown  that  it  was  unsafe  to  trust  a  scraper 
in  tl»e  iiands  of  any  man  for  tiie  removal  of  tiic  tar.  The  scrapers  which 
were  placed  on  tho  paying-iut  machine  to  keep  tho  tat  from  col- 
lecting in  the  grooves  of  tho_Mieavo  wheels  aro  just  the  thing,  but  the 
abrasion  and  consccjuont  wearing  to  which  they  aro  subjected  will  render 
an  abundant  supply  of  scrapers  inilispeusable. 

After  paying  out  tho  length  of  cable  stated  (over  three  miles),  the 
engineer  gave  the  order  to  reverse  the  machine  and  to  wind  in.  This 
was  but  the  work  of  a  few  minutes,  and  soon  after  the  order  was  grven 
it  was  carried  iuto  execution.  .  Not  more  than  two  hundred  fathoms  had . 
been  recovered  from  the  sea  before  the  lin^  parted,  and  from  the  cause 
referred  to. 

Tlie  new  cable  was  now  ,bi:pught  into  requisition  for  tho  first  time, 
and  the  Agamemnon  having  been  signaUed,  the  ends  were  spliced  aa 
before  in  the  case  of  the  experimental  line.  At  a  quarter  to  five  the 
wheels  of  the  machine  began  to  revolve,  and  by  six,  two  miles  and  a 
half  of  cable  wore  paid  out,  when  a  signal  was  observed  on  the  Aga- 
memnon conveying  the  unwelcome  intelligenee  that  it  had  parted.  This, 
it  was  afterwards  understood, jras  caused  by  a  change  which  had  been 
made  in  the  paying-out  machine  of  the  Agamemnon,  under  the  direc- 
tions of  Messrs.  IJright  and  Cannin^f.  Tho  wheel  loading  on  to  the 
machmcry  was  made  of  cast,  instead  of  ^heet-irou,  and  was  -conse.iuently 
much  heavier  and  less 'adapted  (o  the  work  for  whicli  it  was  designed- 
dimply  to  act  as  a  check  in  preventing  the  too  rapid  passage  of  the  cable 
on  tho  paying-out  .sheaves.  Its  unfitness  for  the  purpose  became  bo 
clearly  apparent  from  this  mishap—or  fortunate  accident,  we  .should 
perhaps  say— that  it  was  at  once  removed,  and  the  sheet-iron  wheel, 
similar  to  that  on  the  Niagara,  substituted. 

As  nothing  further  -ould  now /bo  d*w«  in  the  way  of  paying  out,  it 

was  concluded  to  haul  in,  and  by  half-past  nine  the  whole^of  our  portion 

of  the  cable  was  recovered.     A  glance  at  the  indicator  or  dynamometer 

showed  a  strain  of  a  little  over  two  tons  and  a  half,  while  the  first  quur- 

_  ter  of  a  mile  was  passing  over  the  sfern  f-heave. 

Third  Day.  /^         ■ 

The  last  experiment  which  was- to  pettli  the  practicability  of  buoying 
up  the  cable,  was  .set  down  for  this  day.     To  appreciate  the  value  of 


THK  BSOOVtt  ATLANTIO  EXPEDmOJf. 


206 


this  experiment,  it  is  necessary  to  know  that  serious  fears  were  enter- 
tained about  the  capability  of  a  buoy  to  retain  its  hold  upon  the  deep 
sea  line  when  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  sea  in  a  gale.  The  force  of 
the  waves,  it  was  urged,  would  act  upon  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  cause  it 
to  give  WM  at  the  point  where  it  is  joined,  or  some  other  part  of  the 
cabl^hCb  may  be  subject  to  the  greatest  strain.  An  immense  buoy,* 
shapM  somewhat  like  a  segar,  capable  of  sustaining  five  or  six  tons,  and 
sixteen  or  eighteen  feet  in  length,  was  put  on  board  of  each  ship.  This 
was  now  brought  into  use  on  board  the  Niagara,  and  attached  to  the 
cable  ^fter  three  and  a  quarter  miles  had  been  paid  out.  Away  it  went 
from  the  side  of  the  vessel,  and  the  moment  the  weight  of  the  cable  hus- 
pended  from  it  was  felt,  it  assumed  an  erect  position,  about  two-thirds 
or  ten  feet  of  its  length  appearing  above  the  surface  of  the  water. 
A  smaller  buoy,  called  the  watch  buoy,  had  been  attached  to  it  by  a 
rope,  and  the  two  floated  ofif  from  the  Niagara,  which  continued  paying 
out  the  cable  until  it  gave  way  again  at  a  part  which  inspection  shoWed 
was  completely  destroyed  by  the  rusting  of  the  outer  wire.  This  oc- 
curred about  half-past  nine  A.  M.  At  half-past  ten  the  watch  buoy  was 
taken  up,  and  the  ship  waa>  proceeding  in  the  direction  of  the  cable  buoy 
for  the  purpose  of  hauling  it  on  board,  also,  when  it  was  observed  falling 
from  its  erect  position,  and  lying  its  whole  length  on  the  surface.  There 
was  only  one  explanation  for  this.  The  cable  had  parted,  and  the  buoy 
^  relieved  from  the  weight  of  it,  assumed  a  recumbent  state.  When 
taken  up,  it  was  observed  that  the  three  and  a  quarter  inch  ropc'stopper 
had  been  out  off  by  the  working  or  abrasion  of  the  cable. 

This  was  the  last  experiment  on  the  memoranda,  a^  we  have  said, 
but  it  was  agreed  to  try  another  before  starting  for  Plymouth.  There 
were  some  miles  of  experimental  cable  left,  and  as  it  was  desirable  to 
know  how  fast  the  wire  bould  be  laid  with  safety,  it  was  concluded  to 
employ  this  with  that  view.  The  engine  was  set  to  work  in  submerging 
a  sufficient  length  or  weight  of  it  to  put  the  wheels  in  motion  so  that 
the  machinery  would  work  of  itself.  Less  than  half  a  mile  of  it  was 
submerged  in'  this  way,  when  the  engine  was  detached ;  the  paying-oat 
wheels,  being  subjected  to  the  weight  of  the  ^mbmerged  portion,  com- 
menced revolving,  and  as  a  comparatively  slight  pres.'iure  was  put  upon 
the  brakes,  the  cable  went  out  at  the  rate  of  between  seven  and  eight 
miles  an  hour,  without  exhibiting  the  least  tendency  to  kink.  Nothing 
ooulcKbe  more  satisfactory  or  conci^usive  than  this  last  experiment,  as 
showing  the  high  speed  at  which  the  line  can  be  submerged  with  safety; 
and  should  it  be  adopted  by  the  engineer,  we  shall  accomplish  the  lay- 
ing of  oar  half  of  the  three  thousand  miles  in  somewhat  less  than  six 


days. 

*^, 

• 

.  -                              ' 

■ 

• 

ji 

- 

/            ^.. 

■■         J"- 

.J 

206 


TUB  OCEA.K  TKLBOBirH. 


Ah  there  was  nothii;g  more  to  be  done*  the  Telegraph  Squadron 
made  as  direct  a  line  as  possible  for  PlymoiitH,  ^ero  it  arrived  at  six 
o'clock  on  Thursday,  the  3d  of  Juno.  During  the  passage  the  Aga- 
meiunon  attempted  another  trial  of  speed  with  the  Niagara,  but  with  no 
better  BUCCC8S  than  she^imd  la;>u  year.  She  was,  in  fact,  rather  badly 
'beaten,  and  liad  her  new  commander,  Captain  Preedy,  only  known  tho 
qualities  of  the  Niagara,  he  would  ImrdFy  h?ive  ri&od  another  defeat. 
Nothing  likafonc's  own  experience,  however. 

Report  of  Mr.  W.  E.  Evetfeit  ir\  regard  to  the  paying-out  machinery 
and  the  Submerging  of  the  Cable. 

UwiTiat  States  Rtkaji  Frkiatk  Niaoara,  ) 
At  Sea,  June  3,  1868.  ) 

Cybds  Vf.  FiKLD,  General  ^fanagor  of  tlip  Atlantic  Telegraph  Oorupany  : 
Sir  : — For  the  infoi^n^tion  of  yourself  and  the  directors,  I  sobmit 
the  following  statement  of  experiirtjonts  made  during  this  trip. 

Monday,  4  P.  M.,  May  31,  lat.  47°  12'  N.,  Ion.  9"  32'  Wtt^ndings 
2,530  fathoms,  this  ship  and  the  Agamemnon  being  attac^eG^tefn  to 
stern  by  a  hawser,  180  fathoms  of  cable  were  veered  out  for  flie.end  to 
b«  taken  on  board  that  ship  to  be  splicjed.  At  S-SOj'sijgnal  being  made 
"  fell  ready,"  in  accordance  with  prewwns  arrangement,  one  mile  of  cable 
waw  veered  out.  We  then  commencedl  hauling  it  in.  At  630  had  re- 
coi^ored  half  a  mile,  when  Mh  Bright'p  message  was  received  saying  he 
dorflred  to  make  A,Dew  splice.  At  9-4J0  received  message  "  all  is  ready," 
and  again  commenced  paying  out  as  before.  At  1034  P.  M.,  two  milei 
wer'b  out.  After  this  amount  was  paid  out,  the  strain  upon  tho  cable 
was  3,600  to  4,100  pounds.  At  11-28  commenced  hauling  in,  but  very 
slowly,  as  the  strain  nearly  approached  the  breaking  point  of  the  rope. 
At  11  •48  the  hawser  securing  the  ships  together  parted  on  the  Aga- 
memnon, but  the  ships  were  retainedj  nearly  in  the  same  relative  posi- 
tions by  working  the  engine  w&en  required.  At  140,  having  hauled  in 
one  mile  506^  fathoms,  the  continuity  was  reported  broken.  We  con- 
tinued to  haul  in  until  215,  when  thp  end  came,  having  lost  of  the  two 
miles  paid  out  110  fathoms.     '  i 

On  Tuesday,  at  8*40  A.  Mi,  the  ^hipa  having  been  secured  and  splice 
made  as  before,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  Was  paid  out,  hawser  released  and 
ships  started  ahead  slowly,  at  the  same  time  the  cable  was  allowed  to 
run  quite  freclj'  until  two  miles  had  been  paid  out,  when  a  gradual  re- 
straint was  applied  until  an  additional  one  mile  387  fathoms  had  been 
paid  out,  making  in  all  three  miles  387  fathoms.  At  this  time  (10-28) 
commenced  hauling  in,  and  had  recovered  190  fathoms  when  the  cable 
parted.  At  4-44  P.  M.,  the  two  erjds  of  the  new  cable  having  been 
spliced,  we  paid  out  2\  miles  at  a  rojte  which  had  been  previously  agreed 
upon,  the  electricians  passing  signals  through  the  whole  length  of  cable. 
At  6-15  P.  M.,  the  Agamemnon  made  -signal  the  cable  was  parted.  We 
at  once  commenced  hauling  in,  the  strain  running  up  to  5,100  pounds  dur- 
ing tho  receiving  of  tho  first  quarter  of  a  mile.  At  9-20  the  end  came 
in,  having  lost  80  fathoms  of  the  2^' miles  paid  out 


V-  '-^  ' 


THE   8BC0NT>   ATLANTIC  EXPEDITION. 


207 


Wednesday,  Juno  2,  at  7-30,  exfiforiinental  cable  was  again  spliced, 
one  quarter  of  a  mile  paid  out,  hawser  released,  and  the  ships  ntarted 
ahead.  In  a  few  minntcs  the  Agamemnon  made  liignal  cable  parted. 
We  continued  to  pay  out  until  3J  miles  were  out.  The  ship  was  then 
backed,  large  buoy  and  watch  buoy  attached  to  the  (Vible.  Ship  again 
run  ahead,  and  When  300  fathoms  had  been  paid  outv  the  cable  parted 
on  the  machinery.  The  ship  th<in  made  Tor  the  buoy  with  the  ^pd  of  * 
recovering  the  end  of  the  cable;  but  while  hauling  in  the  watch  buoy, 
the  large  buoy  suddenly  fell  over,  showing  it  had  separated  from  the 
eabldf  Upon  recovering  it  we  found  the  rope-stopper  (3J  inch  rope)  had 
been  cut  oiff-by  the  cable.  At  12-56,  by  the  re<iuest  of  Mr.  Woodhouse,, 
we  paid  over  the  end  of  experimental  cable,  to  ascertain  }iow  rapidly  it 
could  be  run  off  the  coil  with  safety,  but  no  greater  speed  was  attained 
than  seven  knots,  asjjie  cable  was  being  often  stranded  un  the  machine 
by  the  accumulation  of  tar  in  the  grooves,  which  was  so  hard  that  no 
scraper  could  be  made  to  remove  it  at  any  speed.  AU  the  cable  used 
to-day  was  that  JSrought  from  Greenwich  expressly  for  experimenting, 
and  was  long  since  condemned.  Undoubtedly  it  has  been  much  exposed 
to  the  weather,  and  stowed  where  considerable  sand  or  dirt  has  been 
thrown  upon  it.  With  the  cable  whiclfwas  recovered  last  year,  and  used 
by  us  during  the  experiment,  we  had  no  serious  difficulty  in  keeping  the 
tar  out  of  the  grooves,  it  being  comparatively  soft,  though  the  amount 
was  beyond  what  I  could  have  believed.  The  amount  of  tar  on  this 
cable  is  much  greater  than  that  upon  the  cable  intended  to  be  laid  down, 
therefore  I  believe  we  can  moke  such  provision  as  that  it  shall  not  be- 
come  a  serious  obstacle. 

-  The  result  of  this  experimental  trip  has  demonstrated  that  we  have 
the  capability  of  hauling  in  the  cable  to  a  greater  extent  than  I  bad  ex- 
pected. Not  that  I  believe  any  great  distance  could  be  recoveud,  but 
m  the  general  depth  of  water  where  the  cable  is  to  be  laid,  in  gdod 
weather,  should  a  fault  go  overboard  before  the  ship  could  be  stopped,  I 
am  uf  the  opinion  sufficient  of  the  cable  may  be  hauled  in  to  remedy  the 
fault. 

The  operation  of  the  machinery  generally  is  certainly  satisfactory, 
and  there  IS  no  alteration  I  can  suggest  other  than  in  the  tar  scrapers, 
which  will  require  modification.  The  amount  of  tar  accumulating  is  so 
much  beyond  what  could  have  been  expected  from  last  year's  experience, 
owing  to  the  repeated  Ratings  it  has  received  since  it  was  unloaded  from 
this  vessel  last  October,  that  extraordinary  provision  will  be  required. 
As  regards  the  attaching  of  buoys,  vre  can  attach  them,  but  at  a  great 
risk  of  breaking  the  cable,  and  they  should  not  be  used  in'  deep  water 
except  as  a  last  resort. 

The  arrangements  for  coils,  provisions  for  leading  the  rope,  and  all 
the  other  many  particulars  incidental  to  this  work,  which  have  been  un- 
der the  direction  of  Mr.  Woodhouse,  do  not  require  any  alteration,  and 
folly  meet  the  reqairements.     I  Am,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  E.    EVBRBTT. 


4  ' 


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k 

■     4- 

. 

.        4 

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.      -,„-,4    «. 

i 

>■'-'',             .     ■  ■     ■"■"'. 

A     -^'^' 

!«'■ 


THE  SAILING^  OF  THE  RECOND,  OR  THE  UNSUO- 
^^  CE8SFUL  EXPEDITION  OF  1858. 

Tub  Telegraph  Squadron  arrived,  as  has  been  stated,  at  Plymouth 
after  the  experimental  trip  on  the  8d  of  June,  and  having  received  a 
fresh  supply  of  coal,  started  for  mid-ocean  on  the  lOth  of  the  same 
month.  The  point  in  mia-ooean  which  had  b,ecn  decided  on  as  the 
place  of  jendetvous  was  in  lat.  52°  02',  long.  33°  18'. 

Each  vessel  had  about  fifteen  hundred  stAtuto  miles  of  cable  on 
board;  making  a  totaUfthree  thousand,  or  a  little  more  than  fifty  per 
cent,  over  the  distance  to  be  traversed  by  both.     The  weather  had  been 
very  fine,  and  there  was  every  appearance  that  it  would  continue  so  for 
some  weelw.     In  fact,  the  summer  had  now  fairly  set  in,  and  we  felt  hope- 
ful m  the  Msuranoe  given  us  by  Lieutenant  Maury,  that  the  month  of 
June  was  the  mildest  of  all  the  months  in  the  year.    We  now  looked  • 
forward  with  the  most  sanguine  expectations  to  the  time  when  we  should 
land  our  end  at  the  Newfoundland  terminus,  and  with  swelling  hearta 
thought  of  the  enthusiastic  welcome  which  we  knew  would  greet  as 
when  we  returned  to  the  commercial  metropolis  of  the  Union,  after  the 
successful  accomplishment  of  the  greatest,  work  which  has  ever  been 
conceived  or  attempted  by  the  genius  of  man.     The  Sunday  before  o^r 
departure  we  were  visited  by  a  friend  from  New  York  (Bev.  Henry 
Field),  who  told  us  with  jfhat  interest  and  anxiety  our  people  regjtrded 
the  enterprise  in  which  we  are  engaged,  and- how  eagerly  they  awaited 
the  moment  when  the  first  despatch  from  Newfoundland  should  apprise 
them  that  the  cable  was  laid.     That  Sunday  he  preached  a  most  appro- 
pnate  sermon,  in  the  course  of  which  he  made  frequent  reference  to  the 
great  enterprise,  and  to  its  importance  not  only  in  a  material  but  in  a 
moral  pomt  of  view,  as  bringing  the  nations  of  the  earth  into  more 
intimat«  relationship  with  each  other.     The  scene  was  certainly  one 
that  wiU  not  be  forgotten  eaaUy,  and  the  words  of  the  preacher  made  a 
deep  mjpression  on  the  minds  of  his  hearers.  ,. 

On  the  10th  of  June,  as  has  been  stated,  wo  left  Plymouth  about 
ten  0  clock  m  the  morning,  and  took  the  direct  course  for  the  point  of 
rendeivous,  the  four  ships  sailing  in  company.    The  Porcupine,  which 


1 

J:        ......    .     _, _, ,  ^  V    .     ... 


"•.*.,' 


THE   CNBtfOOMWUL   EXPEDITION    Of    1858. 


209 


cable  on 
fifty  per 
had  been 
uo  so  for 
felt  hope- 
month  of 
ir  looked  ' 
re  Bhoald 
g  hearts  ," 
greet  as. 
ifter  the 
?er  been 
ifore  o^r 
.  Henry 
regalrded 

awaited 

apprise 
it  appro- 
:e  to  tbe 
mt  in  a  '^ 
to  more 
nly  one 
made  a 


waa  the  smallost  steamer  in  the  squadron,  had  been  son*  to  St.  John's 
with  orders  to  mcot  the  Niagara  on  her  way  to  Trinity  Bay,  so  tliat 
besides  our  own  vessel  and  the  Agameninou  there  were  but  two  otJiers, 
the  Valorous  and  Gorgpn,  the  last  of  which  waa  to  act  as  our  eseort 
There  was  no  public  demonstration  at  our  departure,  and  with  the  ex- 
ception of  n  few  of  tlie  members  of  the  company  aud  their  friends,  there 
were  noncf  to.bid  us  farewell.  In  a- few  hours  wo  lost  sight  of  the  land- 
marks  along  the  coast,  and  Eddystono  light,  which  stands  upon  a  reef 
"  of  rooks  out  in  the  channel,  and  about  seventeen  miles  from  Plymouth, 
was  rapidly  disappearing  below  the  horizon.  About  eight  o'clock  tho 
land,  which  was  gradually  becoming  more  indistinct,  was  lost  amid  the 
evening  shadows,  but  wo  could  still  see  through  the  hazy  twilight  ob- 
jects at  tho  distance  of  four  or  five  miles.  For  tho  two  following  days 
the  weather  otontinned  very  fine  ;  but  on  tho  third,  (Sunday,  June  13,) 
the  wind,  which  in  the  morning  wafr  raoderato,  freshened  considerably 
towards  evening,  and  at  night  bl<;w  a  perfect  gale.  We  were  not  a  little 
surprised  at  this,  especially  as  we  Had  been  led  to  believe,  from  the 
staten.  :nts  o^  those  who  were  supposed  to  know  something  about  the 
subject,  that  wo  were  to  have  had  nothing  but  gcntlo  breezes  and  smiling 
skies.  The  delusion,  howev,er,  was  very  soon  dispelled,  and  before  the 
-end  of  the  gale  we  were  pretty  vrell  tired  of  our  sea  experience,  aud 
sighed  |nost  earnestly  for  irhat  some  poet  songster,  in  an  unaccountable 
fit  of  enthusiasm  about  the  ocean,  has  culled  the  "  dull,,  tame  shore." 
It  was  certainly  a  most  severe  gale ;  but  in  tho  Niagara  we  could  not 
realize  its  severity,  and  it  was  only  when  we  came  to  hear  what  wild 
work  it  was  nearly  making  with  the  Gorgon  and  Valorous,  and  did 
make  with  the  Agamemnon,  that  we  begun  to  have  a  prpsfis^ea  of  its 
true  character.  During  the  gale  we  had  our  spritsail  yard  and  flying - 
jibboom  broken,  a.tid  the  same  sea  by  which  this  damage  was  done  dis- 
located the  right,  or,  as  the  sailors  call  it,  the  starboard  wing  of  the 
American  eagle,  which  forms  the  figure  head  of  the  Niagara.  The  in- 
jury, however,  was  repaired  on  the  first  opportunity,  and  the  national 
bird  restored  to  his  pristine  beauty  and  streugtL  It  may  be  interesting 
to  know  that  his  mate  on  the  stern,  another  terribly  warlike-looking 
fellow,  had  not  a  feather  rufiied,  and  looks  as  terrible  and  as  warlike  as 
ever.  This  waa  the  only  damage  inflicted  upon  the  ship  by  the  gale ; 
bat  the  fearful  havoc  it  made  among  the  domcstio  utensils  of  the  ward- 
room, and  particularly  those  of  a  brittle  kind,  would  have  gladdened 
the  heart  of  a  dealer  in  crockery. 

On  the  19th  of  June  we  had  a  heavy  sea  and  some  bad  sqnalls.     The 
barometer  fell  as  low  as  28,  and  stuck  there  with  such  obstinacy  as  to 
render  it  doubtful  whether  it  would  ever  rise  again  as  high  as  80.     Eadk 
14 


.^- 


/J 


,:•  >. 


Cfi' 


•:i/i^ 


•*> 


210 


THE  OCEAN  TKLKOBAPH. 


I       I 


day  was  but  a  repetition  of  the  day  before,  and  the  log-book  was  one  un- 
.      varying  record  of  the  eamd  particulars.     One  day  it  was  "  blowing  heavy 
in  squalls,"  and  the  next  day  it  was  "  blowing  heavy  in  squalls,"  and  the 
only  change  was  at  the  end  of  the  gale,  when  the  reader  was  informed 
there  was  "  a  fresh  gale  "  and  "heavy  sea  with  squalls."     We  had  man- 
aged to  keep  the  Agamemnon  in  sight  till  Monday,  June  21   when  we 
lost  her  ab9ut  7  o'Wfcck  in  the  morning.     The  sea  was  heavier  than  we 
had  yet  seen  it,  and  we  found  it  impossible  on  that  account  to  run  down 
to  her,  as  we  were  frequently  obliged  to  do,  in  consequence  of  her  drift- 
,      ing  so  rapidly  to  leeward.     We  were  actuated  in  this  solely  by  consider- 
ations for  the  safety  of  our  own  ship,  which  would  have  been  much 
endangered  by  attempting  to  foll0w  her  under  such  circumstances.  ■   On 
the  evening  of  the  2l8t  of  June,  the  wind  mqderated ;  the  barometer  be- 
gan to  rise  rapidly,  and  there  were  other  pleasant  indications  of  an  agree- 
1  able  change  in  the  weather.     As  the  barometer  rose  the  sea  fellTand 
the  following  day,  according  to  the  stereotype  phrase,  was  •'  all  that  could 
be  desired."     We  had  been  buffeted  about  long  enough,  and  were  driven 
•nearly  three  degrees  further  north  than  we  wished,  hating  drifted  to  lat 
54  30 ,  when  we  never  intended  to  go  higher  north  than  lat.  52.    So  much 
for  the  operations  of  the  gale.     We  now  set  out  for  the  rendezvous,  and 
arrived  there  on  the  afternoon  of  the  23d,  when  we  found  the  Valorous 
and  Gorgon  there  before  us-the  former  having  reached  it  on  the  2l8t 
and  the  Gorgon  on  the  morning  of  the  23d.     An  officer  came  on  board 
from  the  Valorous,  and  informed  us  that  they,  too,  had  had  very  bad  wea-   ^ 
ther,  and  that  they  had  not  seen  the  Agamemnon  since  the  I8th      We 
were  also  informed  that  the  Gorgon  nearly  lost  both  her  masts,  and  tke 
Valorous  her  quarter  boats.     Captains  Aldham  and  Dayman  said  that  it 
was  the  worst  weather  they  had  ever  experienced  in  the  North  Atlantic 
Thm  night  a  thick  fog  set  in,  in  which  we  lost  sight  of  the  two  escorts 
The  next  morning,  at  five  o'clock,  Lieut  Guest,  who  was  officer  of  the  deck 
at  the  time,  apoke  s  packet  ship  bound  from  Liverpool  to  New  York 
She-was  not  in  aight  more  than  ten  minutes,  on  account  of  the  fog,  and 
Aad  she  not  been  quite  close  to  the  ship  it  ia  doubtfaUbether  she  would 
have  been  seen  at  i,ll.     When  Mr.  Guest  first  e.w  het  ehe  was  looming 
up  through  the  fog.  ° 

"  Where  are  you  bound  for  ?  "  B«d  he,  aa  «oon  us  she  came  new 
enough  to  speak  her. 

"  To  New  York,"  waa  the  answer. 

"  Plearo  to  report  the  United  States  frigate  Niagara." 

"Aye I  ay. J"  responded  a  voice  which  it  is  supposed  belonged  to 

ttewptam;  «d  he  mmediately  «Aed  in  tum :  «  Where  are  the  other 


\ 


THE   UNSCCCESSniL    EXPEDITION   OF   1858. 


3^1 


came  near 


"  In  company  around  us,"  Mr.'  Guest  replied. 

It  was  supposed  by  this  time  that  the  other  vessels  and  the  Agamem- 
non were  close  at  hand,  although  not  visible  in  consequence  of  the  fog, 
and  it  was  under  this  impression  that  Mr.  Guest  answered  as  he  did. 
There  was  no  time  for  a  more  lengthened  conversation,  and  the  object  was 
to  make  it  as  laconic  and  as  much  t^he  point  as  possible.  The  last  an- 
swer was  received  by  the  captain  with  a  wave  of  his  hat,  to  which  a 
similar  pantomimic  return  was  made,  and  both  vessels  lost  sight  of  each 
other  almost  immediately ,after. 

Before  the  close  of  this  day  wo  had  another  gale,  during  which  it 
ble\f  in  heavy  squalls.  The  morning  of  Friday,  June  25tb,  however, 
broke  clear  and  pleasant,  and  about  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  we  saw 
the  Valorous,  the  Gorgon;  and  the  Agamemnon,  all  on  the  rendezvous. 
At  half-past  four  o'clock  we  received  a  visit  from  Captain  Preedy,  from 
whom  we  learned  that  he  had  readied  the  rendezvous  at  twelve  o'clock. 
He  also  reported  severe  weather,  and  said  that  during  the  gale,  of  which 
wc  have  already  spoken,  the  upper  part  of  the  main  coil,  which  contained 
a  thousand  miles  of  cable,  had  shifted,  and  that  for  some  time  they  were 
in  a  very  perilous  condition.  About  a  hundred  miles  had  to  be  removed 
and  coiled  on  another  part  of  the  ship ;  and  as  sodn  as  the  coiling  of  this 
was  finished  he  would  be  ready  to  make  the  splice  and  commence  the 
work  of  paying  out.  Some  idea  of  the  effects  of  tlie  gale  on  the  Aga- 
memnon may  bo  conceived  from  the  fact  that  the  strain  to  which  she 
was  exposed  by  the  great  weight  and  peculiar  nature  of  her  cargo, 
opened  her  water  ways  about  two  inches  and  a  half.  The  water  ways 
are  that  part  of  the  ship  where  the  deck  and  the  sides  are  joined,  and 
when  they  part  to  any  great  extent,  the  vessel  is  considered  in  a  dan- 
gerous state.  Captain  Preedy  finding  it  impossible  to  keep  the  ship's 
head  to  the  sea,  on  account  of  the  shifting  and  working  of  the  cable  in 
the  main  coil,  determined  to  scud  before  the  gale,  which  he  was  obliged 
to  do  for  thirty-six  hours.  The  scene  on  board  was  reported  to  have 
been  fearful.  '  The  ship  rolled  very  heavily,  and  at  one  time  nearly  every 
man  on  deck  was  thrown  off  his  feet ;  one  man,  a  marine,  was  literally 
frightened  out  of  his  wits,  and  was  cnuy  for  some  days.  One  man  had 
his  arm  fractured  in  two  places,  and  another  Lad  his  leg  broken.  Every 
eye  was  turned  on  Captain  Preedy,  who,  fully  aware  of  the  imminence  of  the 
danger,  exhibited  the  greatest  coolness  and  self-posseasion,  and  finally 
succeeded  by  his  admirable  seamanship  in  saving  his  vessel  It  was  pe- 
culiarly gratifying  to  aea  him  onoe  more,  and  to  know  that  he  was  ready 
to  go  on  wi^h  the  work.  In  the  midst  of  the  fearful  scene  that  took 
place  on  the.Agamemnon  a  rather  ludiorous  incident  oceurred,  which 
fflittit  fiofBe  oEitied.    0»a  af  WTaSaiSieB,  who,.it  wonM  ijf^,1a^ 


■,A-.^^  i,j:^-'^v\tt-t 


S13 


m 


i.    !■ 


B 


i 


THE  OCEAN  TELEGKAPH. 


very  httle  experience  of  the  sea,  Lad  not  been  seen  for  a  long  time  and 
hxs  nends,  anxious  about  him,  searched  all  over  the  ship  in  Z^^i^,. 

furrndtT"  ''r'"*''  *'"''  •'ff-t^.  ioweverf  wore  unsuccess- 

ful, and  they  were  just  pving  up  all  hope  of  ever  seeing  him  again  w^n 
some  one  suggested  that  the  bread  closet  had  not  been  looked  into  The 
Idea  of  h.s  being  in  such  a  place  was  treated  with  contempt,  but  it  waa 

'    OP    ef  idT"'  "^  f '^  "  ^"P  ""'   ''■    ^^«  ^-^  was  LccordL^ly 
opened,  and  there  snugly  ensconced  in  a  corner,  was  the  individual  who 

he  went  there,  but  some  people  are  uncharitable  enough  to  say  that  he 
had  designs  upon  the  provisions.  ^ 

COMMENCEMENT  OP  THE  WORK.  ** 

Saitrdat— Jpim  28. 

the  wlV*'**/^  the  weather  was  most  propitious  for  the  beginning  of 

wate7   it  hfd'b  '''  r"°"  *^  "°  '""^  '^''^^  ^--^  -to  the 

water.     It  had  been  agreed  upon  that  it  should  be  made  on  the  Aira- 

b^  hoisted  as  a  signal  that  we  should  do  the  same.  The  splicbTw^  one 
o|  the  most  important  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  simpirir 
ti^ns  comiected  with  the  work  of  laying  the  cable.  The  proWm^t 
ctdul't*^'  f  "'"'*  branehe^the  joining  of  the  Tp^r  Cf  ^ 
conductor,  the  xnsuUtion  with  gutta  percha.  and  the  splicing^  thruter 

11  7  rt  J'.'  ^"-^  ^''"^  ^  «*"PP«"*  «ff  *t«  «o-ductor  t^  the 

K     ,    ?K  ^"  "•""''  •'^  ^*^  ^°'«'  '»'^'''>  "« ^-<1  -er  each  other 

a|4Und  with  <^pper  wire,  aa  is  seen  in  figure  4  of  the  annexeTl' 


Fl,.l 


» 


1*4. 


Il»& 


"/^NS.-^<-m.v, 


THE  Tm8UOOE88F"L   EXPEDITION  OF  1858. 


213 


Fig.*. 


^ 


Over  this  again  is  laid  another  binding  of  copper  wire,  and  the  sol- 
dering repeated,  f|0  that  the  part  which  in  spliced  by  being  thus  strength- 
ened,is  made  stronger  than  any  other.  Tiiis  double  binding  is  seen  in 
figures  1  and  5,  the  ends  having  been  previously  prepared  as  they  appear 
in  figures  2  and  3.  The  great  advantage  of  this  manner  of  splicing  will  " 
be  at  once  perceived  by  reference  to  figure  6,  which  whows  that  in  the 
event  of  the  rupture  of  the  splice  the  connection  is  still  kept  up  by  the 
single  wire,  which  in  this  case  being  in  contact  with  the  several  ends 
preserves  the  electrical  continuity.  Should  there  be  any  so  skeptical  as 
to  disbelieve  this,  it  ought  to  be  sufficient  f)r  them  to, know  that  were 
the  wire  eleven  times  smaller  than  the  small  strand  of  aev^  ■  wires  which 
form  the  core,  its  po>ver  as  a  conductor  of  the  electrioal  current  is  reduced 
•  only  one  thirty-seventh  part  in  a  whole  miiei^  The  splicing  is  completed 
by  the  insulation  of  the  core  with  three  layers  of  gutta  percha,  each  of 
which  is  about  as  thick  as  ordinary  foolscap.  Layer  after  layer  of  this 
is  laid  on  till  it  is  brought  to  a  uniform  surface  with  the  rest  of  the 
gutta  percha  insulation,  after  which  the  outer  protecting  wire  is  laid  on 
and  bound  in  a  somewhat  similar  manner  to  the  splicing  of  the  conductor. 
To  the  splice  when  thus  formA  is  attached  a  crescent-shaped  piece  of 
wood,  about  eight •ftet  in  length,  through  a  groove,  in  which  the  cable  is- 
placed,  and  in  which  it  is  scoured  by  a  flat  piece  of  sheet-iron  of  the 
same  length  andlform  as  the  wood.  The  spliced  portion  is  in  the  centre- 
of  the  wood,  but  to  prevent  any  strain  upon  it  a  strong  iron-bound  loop 
is  made  of  the  cable  at  either' end  of  the  crescent,  and  these  two  loops 
are  afterwards  fastened  by  an  iron  shackle,  which  takes  all  the  strain  off 
the  splice.  This  operation  took  about  two  hours,  and  the  moment  it  was 
finished  the  hawser  which  held  the  two  vessels  was  released,  and  the 
process  of  paying  out  commenced.  The  continuity  wsis  tested  by  the 
electricians  and  found  to  be  perfect,  and  wc  had  Fubmtrg<  d  something 
like  two  miles  and  a  half  of  the  cattle  when  it  parted  on  the  machine. 
The  cause  of  its  fracture  in  this  instance  was  very  simple,  and  by  proper 
attention  might  very  easily  have  been  avoided.  The  cable  was  allowed 
to  run  on  the  machine  too  da^k,  so  that  the  leading  on  part  of  it  got 
into  the  wrong  groove,  and  in  the  endeavor  to  put  it  back  into  its 
proper  position  it  was  tlirown  off  the  wheels  altogether,  and,  falling  down 
*n  the  tat  aetttpat,  w*«  bfofesB.^  Th*  br«»kof  watinuity  w«s  soon  di*  ; 
covered  on  the  Agamemnon,  and  both  ships  immediately  returned  and 


\> 


914 


THE  OCEAN   TELEGRAPH. 


t  ^' 


ill: 


.•    v 


I 


i 


made  a  new  splico,  ■when  the  work  of  paying  out  was  once  more  resumed. 
This  tune  there  was  no  running  of  the  cable  into  the  wrong  groove,  and 
the  utmost  caution  and  vigilance  were  e^terpised  over  the  machinery. 
About  half-past  «ix  nearly  ten  miles  were  paid  out  from  both  ships,  and 
at  eight  the  two  vessels  lo.st  sight  of  each  other.     The  electricians  were 
at  their  post,  and. repo- ted  the  continuity   "all  right."     The  cable  was 
,      going  out.at  the  rate  of  five  and  six  miles  an  hour,  while  the  speed  of 
the  ship  varied  from  four  to  five,  so   that  by  midnight  thirty-one  miles 
had   been  ^ubmergcd.     This  certainly  looked  like  work,  aiid  augured 
lavorably  for  our  success.     Our  hopes,   howev^^r,  were  destined  to  be 
shortlived,  for  about  ten  minutes  to  1  a.  m.  of  the  following  morning  the 
continuity  was  destroyed.     How  this  was. done  could  not  be  satisfacto- 
)dy  explained,  but  the  general  supposition  on  board  the  ship  was  that  it 
was  caused  by  the  parting  of  the  cable  on  the  Agam.'mnon. 

Sf.NDAY,  June  27.--The  continuity,  m  has  been  stated,  ceased  at  ten 
minutes  to  one  o'clock  this  morning,  and  after  about  thirty-one  miles  of 
cable  had  been  paid   out.     The  vessels  had  long  since  ran  ont  of  sight 
of  each  other,  and  it  would,  per^p.,,  require  another  .day  before  they 
could  return  to  the  rendezvous.    Ifter  the  electric  communication  was 
severed  the  speed  of  the  ship  was  reduced  to  less  than  two  miles,  and 
the  cable  paid  out  at  a  proportionate  rate  for  three  hours.     This  was 
considespd  a  sufficient  length  of  time  to  allow  for  the  probability  of  its 
returning;  but  being  now  thoroughly  convinced  that  it  was  gone  forever 
the  action  of  the  machinery  was  reversed,  and  tht^y  eommi  need  winding 
1".     About  a  hundred  fathoms  had  b^n  recovered  when  the  cable  parted 
the  amount  lost  in- this  second  attempt  being  forty-two  n.iles  and  300 
fathoms^  The  Gorgon  was  informed  by  signal  of  the  disaster,  and  both 
vessels  *oceeded  on  their  course  to  the  rendezvous.     The  ill  success 
which  mi  thus  far  attended  the  expedition  was  very  discouraging,  a.d 
as  .we  were  altogether  ignorant  of  the  cause  of  the  loss  of  continuity  we 
•were  growing  very  doubtful  about  our  chances  of  success.     Some  were 
under  the  delusion  that  the  difficulty  was  created  by  the  brakes,  theprej- 
ndice  against  which  Still  existed  from  the  first  expedition,  when  the  cable 
was  broken  by  the  defective  machinery  ;  but  this  part  of  our  payiiig-out 
marhme  was  perfect,  and  realized  M  the  expectations  that  were  formed 
of  It.     It  was  impossible,  however,  to  disabuse  the  minds  of  those  who 
had  conceived  this  prejudice  of  its  injustice.     It  was  tlieir  belief  that 
the  weights  on  the  brakes,  which  never   exceeded   nitietcen  hundred 
pound.-,  produced  a  heavier  strain  than  the  cable  was  calculated  to  boar 
and  that  it  stretched  until  the  inner  core  or  electrical  conductor  parted' 
Jhu_s  d^^rojnng  tjie  oontimiitj.     Finding  prase  tee  daH^d^ 


express  their  feelings  on  the  subject,  they  invoked,  the  aid  of  the  muse, 


"(■•■ 


THB  uNsnooMartTii  EacpKDmoN  OF  1858. 


215 


anA'gaye  vent  to  their  feelings  in  the  following  remarkable  piece  of  com-' 
position : 
^  Pay  it  out,  oh !  pay  it  out, 

As  long'  as  you  are  able ; 
For  if  yoii  put  the  darned  brealia  on, 
Pop  goes  the  cable. 

'  It  was  intended  to  be  a  parody  on  the  popular  song  of  "  Pop  goes  the 
Weasel,"  but  after  one  verse  the  muse  became  exhausted,  refused  to  get 
off  another,  and  literally  broke  down.  The  brakes  were  put  on  in  a 
poetical  sense,  and  the  composer  found  that  he  could  not  continue  to 
"  pay  it  out"    ^ 

The  Alice  Monroe,  a  packet  ship  bound  from  Liverpool  to  Boston, 
was  spoken  about  ten  o'clock  tlys  morning,  and  a  boat  sent  out  with 
Mr.  Field  and  Lientenaat  Grherardi.  Mr.  Field  gave  a  brief  account  to 
the  captain  of  the  proceedings  of  the  expedition.  He  was  also  entrusted 
with  a  large  number  of  letters  to  be  put  in  the  Post  Office  on  his  ar- 
rival in  Boston,  in  the  hope  that  our  friends  would  hear  from  us  before 
we  could  reach  Newfoundland.  A  few  hours  after,  the  Alice  Munroe 
was  out  of  sight,  and  we  resumed  our  course  for  the  rendezvous. 

MoNHAY,  Juno  28. — We  were  on  the  look  out  the  whole  morning 
and  a  portion  of  the  afternoon  for  the  Agamemnon  and' Valorous,  and 
as  there  was  no  appearance  of  either  of  them,  we  felt  somewhat  appro- 
hensive  about  seeing  them  at  all  this  day.  The  Gorgon  was  also  out  of 
sight,  but  we  naturally  supposed  that  she  was  cruising  around  in  the 
hope  of  falling  in  with  one  or  both,  as  they  very  seldom  lost  track  of 
each  other.  The  weather  was  overy  thing  we  could  desire ;  the  sea  was 
comparatively  smooth,  and  it  was  just  the  very  time  to  make  a  splice. 
The  ill  success  of  our  two  first  attempts,  it  is  true,  was  rather  discour- 
aging, but  it  was  resolvec^  <uat  as  long  as  we  had  sufficient  cable  to 
justify  ns  in  trying  again  and  again,  and  sufficient  coal  with  which  to 
make  the  pamage  from  the  rendezvous  to  each  side,  we  should  not 
abandon  the  ex[$edition.  The  failure  which  attended  the  first  was 
purely  the  result  of  an  accident,  but  it  was  very  different  with  the 
seooi)^ ;  and' as  no  satisfactory  or  reliable  explanation  could  be  given  as 

;  to  the  cause,  our  confidence  in  tho  ultimate  success  of  the  undertaking 
was  terribly  shaken.  Various  were  the  surmises  and  conjectures  in 
regard  to  the  subject  One  was  of  opinion  that  too  great  a  strain  had 
been  put  upon  the  cable,  and  that  either  while  on  it^  way  to,  or  resting 
on,  the  b'ottom,  the  conductor 'parted  and  the  continuity  was  thus  de- 
stroyed.    Another  believed  .'that  it  was  cut  by  lying  on  the  top  of  a 

-aharp  rook^  but  ^»  &ofe-tiift^  tb«  BOUi^iiDgs  both  of  Lieutenaut  Bwry* 
man  and  Comma^er  Dayman  prove  that  the  bottom  on  this  part  of  the 


#     P 


.  4   'i^-.'-'i-^'iK.'*.* 


Xw'" 


216 


THE   OOEAN  TELBdBAPH. 


i;.v(': 

INN 


li  '■■ 


wr 


m 


plateau  conslatg  of  ooze,  is  a  sufficient  refutation  of  this  theory.  BJr.  JDe 
Sauty,  one  of  the  principal  electricians,  expressed  his  belief  that  the 
cable  was  broien  on  board  the  Agamemnon,  while,  his"  associate,  Mr. 
Laws,  thought  it  ha(l  given  way  near  the  splice.  Our  rnxiety  to  have 
this  disputed  point  settled  by  the  appearance  of  the  Agameu.  -on  became 
painfully  intense,  and  the  feeling  was  rather  increased  than  diminished 
when  she  made  her  appearance.  We  had  made  up  oijr  minds  upon 
two  points— first,  if  the  cable  parted  on  the  Agamemnon,  the  pre- 
vention  of  such  an  occurrence  might  be  found  in  the  increased 
vigilance  and  carefulness  of  those  having  charge  of  the  work"; 
second,  but  if  it  gave  way  on  the  bottom  our  ignorance  of  the  cause 
must  consequently  render  us  totally  unable  to  provide  against  it.  What, 
therefore,  was  our  dismay,  when  we  heard  from  the  Agamemnon  that 
^  the  break  had  ,  ot  taken  place  on  board  that  ship,  and  that  they  had 
supposed  it  happened  on  the  Niagara.  But  this  is  anticipating,  and 
we  will,  therefore,  proceed  in  the  regular  Qfder  of  our  narrative, 

The  Agamemnon  hove  in  sight  at  two  o'clock  In  the  afternoon,  in 
company  with  the  Valorous,  and  ab'ont  two  hours  after  the  Gorgon  be- 
came  visible.     There  was  no  mistaking  the  Une  of  battleship,  with  her 
heavy  massive  hull  looming  above  the  horizon,  as  she  was  driven  forward 
under  an  .mmense  cloud  of  canvas.     Nearer  and  nearer  she  came,  un- 
til her  two  long  white  streaks  could  be  plainly  distinguished,  and  in 
little   more  than  an  heur   from  the  time  she  was  first  seen  she  was 
within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  our  ship,  exchanging  signals  with  us. 
Tho  following  question  was  i^ske^  from  the  Niagara  as  she  came  near 
enough  to  read  our  numbers : 
'f  How  did  the  cable  part  ?  " 
To  which  she  replied-^— 
"  The  cable  did  not  part— current  oeased." 

Thus  were  our  worst  fears  realized— it  must  have  given  way  on 
Bome  part  of  the  bottom,  whether  at  or  near  the  splice  it  was  impossible 
to  decide.  The  current  had  oeased.  ThU  was  our  case  too— it  was  the 
same  story  an  board  of  both  vesseh. ;  but  there  was  no  use  in  further  con- 
jecture,  or  in  reipining  over  what  could  not  now  be  avoided.  There  was 
but  one  course  left,  and  that  was  to  splice  »gain  and  make  another,  and 
what  we  fondly  hoped  would  be,  a  final  attempt  Those  on  board  the 
Agamemnon-  had  evidently  come  to  the  same  conclusion,  as  «U  shown 
by  tho  signal  which  they  displayed,  and  which,  translate  Tom  the, 
numbers,  read  as  follows  : 

"  Arc  you  ready  to  splice  ?  "         , 

To  this  an  ^mativo  was  at  once  returned,  and  rrflr'"-*^'onfl  nviv 
"Iinmediately  made  to  enter  once  more  upon  the  great  work  we  had  un- 


THE   TTNSDCXJKSSFCL   EXPEDITION   OF    1858. 


217 


dertaken.  Our  confidence,  however,  aa  we  have  stated,  in  the  prospect 
of  success,  was  greatly^ impaired.  The  Valorous  sent  her  two  boats  to 
the  Niagara  to  receive  the  hawser  which  was  to  connect  her  with  the 
Agamemnon  preparatory  to  making  the  spifce,  and  iu  the  mean  time  a 
boat  was  sent  from  the  Niagara  to  the  last-named  ship,  with  Lieut. 
North,  Mr.  Field,  Mr.  Everett,  and  Mr.  De'  Sauty.  At  the  interview 
of  Mr.  Field  with  the  engineers  on  the  British  cable  ship  the  ioUow  ing 
agreement  was  drawn  up  and  signed : 

•"  AoAHEU$ox,  Juno  28,  1868. 

Should  any*necident  occur  to  part  the  cable  before  the  ships  have 
run  one  hundred  miles  from  relidezvous — viz,  N.  lat-  62°  62' ;  W.  long. 
33°  18' — ships  to  return  to  rendezvous  and  wuit  eight  days,  when,  if  the 
other  ships  do  not  ajjpear,  then  to  proceed  to  Queeustown. 

If  ships  (Niagara  and  Agamemnon)  should  return  to  rendezvous  they 
will  at  once  make  the  splice  and  proceed  paying  eut,  not  waiting  for 
either  the  Valorous  or  Gorgon. 


/ 


Cyrus  W.  Fikid, 
Wm.  Thomson, 
Chas.  T.  Bright, 
S.  Canning, 

W.  E.  EVEKETT. 


During  the  ableijice  of  Mr.  Field  the  work  of  connecting  the  two  vessels 
by  a  hawser,  and  of  making  the  splice,  ivas  successfully  and  promptly  per- 
formed, so  that  by  half^ast  seven,  the  time  at  which  the  red  flags  were  dis- 
played on  both  ships,  the  process  of  paying  out  for  the  third  time, was 
commenced.  The  wheels  revolved  very  slowly  at  first,  as  if  they  were  living 
sentient  beings,  and  were  imbued  with  the- general  feeling  of  the  caution 
which  had  taken  possession  of  every  one.  A  slight  commotion  of  the  water 
around  the  stem  of  each  ship  showed  y^Rl^t  they  were  both  under  way, 
although  they  hardly  Beemed  to  move.  The  engineers  were  determined 
that  the  cable  should  have  a  fair  chance  to  reach  the  bottom  before  it 
was  subject  to  any  strain.  As  soon,  however,  as  a  suflSciont'  length  ^ad 
been  paid  out  the  apeed  was  slightly  augment(;d,  and  by  nine  o'clock  the 
distance  was  gradually  increasedat  the  rate  of  some  five  miles  an  hoiur, 
each  ship  going  at  two  miles  and  a  half  in  the' same  time.  The  even- 
ing, which  in  this  northern  latitudeMs  bo  much  lengthened  out  as  to 
leave  little  or  no  night,  was  now  setting  in,  and  the  mists,  eloping  over 
the  Agamemnon;  like  a  huge  veil,  rendered  her  huge  hull  but  dinjly 
visible,  while  the  upper  portion  of  her  lofty  spars  had  entirely'disappeared. 
The  Valorous  had  taken  her  position  on  th«  starboard  bow,  and  onr 
little  eseof  t,  the  Oorguii,  had  TBHUttfed  her  poBt"i88t>ur  guides— 7±t^  wa*  -a- 
beautiful  evening,  more  beautiful  than  any  we  had  yet  been  favored 


/If 


f  -^ 


318 


THE  OOBAK  TELEOKAPH. 


1^; 
III 


with  since  we  left  Plymouth,  and  the  severe  gale  through  which  we  had 
passed,  and  which  was  jet  fresh  in  our  minds,  gave  ua  a  more  thorough 
appreciation  of  it  than  we  might  otherwise  havrfelt     At  ten  o'clock 
the  Agamemnon  was  dimly  visible,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  we  lost 
sight  of  her  altogether,  aa  she  steamed  on  her  eastward  course.     No 
accident  had  yet  occurred  to  interrupt  the  work;  but  we  almost  dreaded 
to  think  of  the  future,  lest  it  should  have  some  other  misfortune  still  in 
store  for  ue.     Nothing  could  be  more  satisfactory  than  the  manner  in 
which  ihe  machinery  worked,  and  the  process  of  paying-out  was  going 
on  most  successfully,  but  we  could  know  nothing  of  the  agencies  that 
were  at  work,  perhaps  at  the  bottom  of- the  ocean,  to  overthrow  what 
little  hope  or  prospect  of  success  was  yet  left.      Were  there   sharp 
pointed  rocks  lying  on  that  plateau  which  Lieut  Maury  had  told  us  ■ 
was  a  level  plain,  a  great  submarine  prairie,  or  was  it  covered  with  a  soft 
coating  of  mud  or  ooze,  in  which  it  had  been  said  the  cable  might  rest 
undisturbed  for  years,  as  on  a  bed  of  dowu  ?     The  soundings  of  Lieut. 
Bcrryman  and  Captain  Dayman  show  that  at  least  this  part  of  the  pla'- 
teau  is  covered  with  this  soft,  and  for  our  purpose,  iiHialu9|)le  deposit. 

It  i.i  now  twelve  o'clock,  and  the  work  is  progressing  in  splendid  style 
—in  such  splendid  style,  in  fact,  that,  to  use  the  frequent  phrase  on  board, 
stock  has  gone  up  nearly  a  hundred  per  cent.     The  question  is  asked, 
if  we  can  lay  forty  miles  of  it  successfully,  what  is  to  prevent  us  from' 
laying  a  thousand,  should  this  fine  weather  continue  ?— «nd  as  we  know 
of  notliing,  it  is  generally  agreed  that  it  is  practicable.     Ah,  but  then 
the  cable  is«ueh  a  delicate  thing,  and  is,  therefore  bo  liable  to  injury, 
for  if,  by  any  accident,  a  hole,  through  which  it  would  be  impossible  to' 
force  even  a  hair,  were  to  be  made  in  it  as  far  as  the  conductor,  the  in- 
sttlatici  and  electrical  continuity  of  the  whole  three  thousand-  miles 
would  be  gone  forever.    Then  again  the  slightest  accident  arising  from  the 
carelessness  of  the  men  might  defeat  the  whole  undertaking  just  when 
we  were  within  a  hundred  miles  of  Newfoundland.     One  thing,  however, 
is  certain— that  every  day  which  brings  us  nearer  to  our  terminus  reduces 
the  risks  and  chances  of  failure,  while  the  increasing  prospects  of  success 
will  render  the  engineers  more  vigilant  and  cautious.     Looking  at  the 
magnitude  of  the  enterprise  and  the  wonderful  results  which  must 
•ttend  its  successful  termination,  our  triumph  seema  almost  too  much  to 
expect,  and  we  are  hourly  haunted  with  a  dread  that  the  worst  has  yet 
to  happen.     Every  one  who  can  spare  the  time  from  his  other  du^es 
wems  to  Regard  the  paying-out  machine  as  under  his  special  supervision, 
and  visits  it  as  often  as  those  duties  will  allow.     The  same  feeling  pre- 
vails  alike  among  the  officers  and  men,  and  although  there  Ja  b  mln  _ 


ISTHonem  the  englneors  shall  be  allowed  to  approach  within  a  oer- 


-■»Vj-ji^'liU£a.«k»— -fir;--** 


«* 


■^i 


-]^     fite  trN8lTCOE88FUL  EXPEDITION   OF  1858. 


.219 


tain  djstanN,  yet  they  are  content  with  a  glance  at  its  operations  if  they 
are  Batiafied  that  the  cable  in  going  out  in  "good  order.  The  parting  of 
the  cable,  however,  is  not — as  has  been  shown  by  our  experiedce  on  this 
expedition. — the  only  thing  to  be  dreaded.  There  is  yet  another  point 
which  is  a  cause  of  as  much,  if  not  more,  disquietude.  Let  the  cable, 
be  laid  across  the  plateau,  yet,  if  the  little  strand  of  seven  copper  wires 
which  compose  the  electrical  conductor  ^hould  be  broken,  the  whole  line 
is  absolutely  valueless,  and  the  million  and-a>half  dollars  expended  in 
its  purchase,  might  as  well  have  been  submerged  iu  the  ocean.  There  is 
no  word  perhaps  in  the  English  language  which  was  fraught  with  such 
important  meaning  to  those  engaged  on  the  first  expedition  as  the  term 
"continuity;  "  and  even  those  who  had  not  the  slightest  pretensions  to 
scientific  inowledge  soon  learned  to  appreciate  its  significance.  We 
approach  the  electricians'  office  with  a  feeling  gf  dread,  lest  at  any  mo- 
ment some  one  may  come  out  to  inform  the  engineers  that  the  continuity 
is  lost.  Let  one  of  the  operators  inquire  for  either  of  the  principal 
electricians  and  in  a  few  minutes  he  will  have  a  crowd  of  eager  inquirers 
>  about  him«  all  anxious  to  know  if  there  is  any  thing  wrong  with  the 
cable.  Talk  of  the  mental  excitement  of  the  gambler  in  confparison 
with  that  state  of  anxiety  and  suspense  in  which  the  mind  is  kept  while 

'  the  process  of  paying-out  the  cable  is  going  on.  The  machinery  may 
be  working  in  the  most  satisfactory  manner ;  but  as  we  have  shown,  it 
does  not  depend  on  the  machine  alone,  for  there  may  ^e  other  agencies 
at  work  on  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  of  which  we  are  at  present  in  ignor- 
ance. There  is  no  reason  as  yet  to  say  positively  that  there  are ;  but 
the  cause  of  the  break  of  continuity  the  first  'time  pn  this  expedition 
■  still  reffiains  in  uncertainty  and  doubt.  The  most  reasonable  theory  is, 
that  the  outer  wires  were  untwisted  in  the  process  of  laying,  and  that 
the  strand  of  copper  wires  of  which  the  conductor  is  composed,  parted 
under  the  excessive  strain  to  which  they  were  subjected.  What- 
ever theories  may  be  formed  in  regard  to  the  way  in  which  the  con- 
tinuity was  destroyed,  and  whatever  apprehensions  may  be  felt  in  regard 
to  the  final  success  of  the  undertaking,  the  admiraible  manner  in  which 
the  operation  of  paying-out  is  performed,  and  the  gratifying  reports 
which  come  from  the  telegraph  oflfice,  are  certainly  calculated  t%  inspire 
confidence  and  hope.  Stepping  upon  the  poop  of  our  ship,  one  oan 
trace  the 'long  black  line  of  cable  as  it  passes  over  the  stem  and  enters 
the  water.  It  is  now  going  out  at  the  rate  of  about  five  miles  and  a 
half  an  hour,  while  the  speed  of  the  ship  is  four  and  a  half;  so  that 
the  part  that  is  now  seen  running  out  over  the  stcru  will  take  something 

=)ik8  half  aa^hour  to^xeaeh  dbe  bottom,  which  lies  at  a  depy^-af  about 
two  miles  beneath  us.    The  strain  upon  it  iVliBeteen  hundred  pounds, 


V 


A>«v,-n«,     ^- 


220 


:^l 


|l     I! 

Il     1  > 


-',!■ 


It   .  ■',■ 


ifr'ii 


';^; 


ifv 


% 


:r 


THE   OCEAN   TELEGRAPH. 


■Which  gome  say  is  t^  much,  but  which  the  engineers  of  the  company 
insist  is  the  very  least^that  can  be  used.  By  reducing  the  weight  to  a 
still  less  amount  they  dpntend  it  would  be  impossible  to  prevent  the 
cable  from  running  out  perfectly  slack,  and  the  loss  of  a  much  greater 
length  than  the  surplus  provided  over  and  above  the  distance  between 
the  two  points  of  connection  in  Ireland  and  Newfoundland.  There  is, 
in  fact,  a  great  difference  of  opinion  on  this  point,  and  each  party  holds 
to  its  belief  with  the  greatest  tenacity.  Says  one  party— those  in 
favor  of  a  strain  being  put  upon  the  cable—"  We  might  as  well  not 
attempt  to  lay  it  at  all  as  to  lay  it  without  a  strain ;  it  would  be  ex- 
pending cable  to  no  purpose,  and  we  should  not  have  enough  to  reach 
land  with." 

"  Yes,"  the  other  party  reply,  "  but  the  difficulty  is  in  your  putting 
on  too  great  a  weight." 

"  Too  great  a  weight !  '■  ia  iLo  rejoinder,  "  why  certainly  nineteen 
hundred  po»^ds  c.annot  be  called  too  great  a  weight." 

"  You  may  think  not ;  but  look  at  the  cable  as  it  goes  over  the 
stern,  ind  observe  how  many  turns  it  takes  before  it  roaches  the  water." 
Thi^  is  a  feature  which  appears  rather  unfavorable,  whatever  may 
be  the  result,  and  it,  is  well  to  speak  of  it  here,  on  account  of  the  impor- 
tance which  some  attach  to  it.  The  number  of  turns  the  cable  takes 
opposite  to  the  twist  is  eleven  in  a  length  of  one  hundred  feet,  which  is 
the  distance  between  the  stem  and  the  surface  of  the  water.  Now,  as 
it  is  contended,  if  it  takes  so  many  in  a  hundred  feet,  will  not  the  outer 
witeahe  wholly  unlaid  before  the  cable  reaches  the  bottom,  and  will  not 
the  whole  strain  be  brought  upon  the  gutta  percha  and  the  conductor  ? 

Whatever' party  is  right,  those  for  or  those  against  the  strain,  there  is 
no  difference  of  opinion  in  regard  to  the  successful  manner  in  which  the 
work  is  going  on  to-night,  or  rather  this  morning,  for  it  isnow  past  one 
o'clock.     The  men  are  as  watchful  as  men  can  be,  and  it  will  certainly 
be  through  no  indifference  or  neglect  on  their  part  if  any  mishap  should 
befkU  the  cable.     The  coilers  are  in  the  circle  wide  awake  and  on  the 
look  out  for  kinks,  with  the  determination  to  "squash  "  them  the  mo- 
ment  they  make  their  appearance,  while  the  tar  gatherers,  who  look 
after  the  grooves  of  the  different  wheels  over  which  the  cable  passes 
are  determined  that  none  of  the  black  and  glutinous  stuff  shall  interfer^ 
with  its  progress.     Every  thing  is  going  on  well ;  all  appear  to  'be  doing 
their  best  towards  the  promotion  of  the  undertaking;  and  having  now 
laid  some  twenty-five  miles  successfully,  there  appear  to  be  no  reasons 
why  we  should  Aot  %  twenty  five  or  a  thonsind  more  with  equal  sno-  '* 
cess.     And  so  with  this  conclusive  argument  we  retire  for  the  night,  and 


-«ter3S^m|Ti6TOTT^ffi^nOde  to  the  other  for  at  least  an  hour,  in 


7 


% 


iv 


n-'»^>l*,-.f.*SYiii;"^}^,'\«iw"'.'J;«\ 


I 


THE  UN8UOCK88FOL   EXl'KpiTlON   OI-'    1858. 


221 


our  efforts  to  go  to  sleep,  we  at  Inst  succeed,  and  dream  about  cable 
laying,  and  the  terrible  effectH  of  too  gr.  at  a  strain,  till  the  colored  boy 
Thomas  wakes  us  with  the  information  that  it  i.s  now  seven  bells,  and 
that  in  half  an  hour  breakfast  will  be  6fi  the  table. 

Tdesdat,  Juno  29th.— The  first  iucstioii  which  every  one  asks  on 
awakening  is  about  the  cable,  ancT^Q^wiing  informed  t'h.it  it  is  all  right,  ho 
is  satisfied,  until  he  geta  his  breakfast,  when  it  is  to  be  presumed  he  is 
still  more  satisfied.     Such  a  question,  however,  is  entirely  suiwrfluons, 
if  the  individual  hangs  up  his  hammock  anywhere  within  the  sound  of 
the  delightful  and  harmonious  musio  made  by  the  maohiue.     He  can 
hear  for  himself,  and  if  he  should  happen  to  ask  it  is  simply  that  he  may 
have  the  pleasure  of  being  informed  of  what  he  knows  already,  like  most 
men  who  think,  they  never  can  hear  good/news  repeated  too  often.. 
Every  thing  seei^  favorable  at  present  for  t^e  success  of  the  expedition ; 
the  weather  never  lookc^d  more  propitious,  aind  the  barometer  is  up  so 
high  that  it  appears  as  if  fi.xed  for  the  rema^der  of  the  summer.     The 
late  gale  was  evidently  the  closing  up  of  the  vnndy  season,  which,  in  these 
latitudes,  renders  navigation  rather  an  unpleasant  occupation.     Had  the 
poet  who  was  so  anxious  for  "  life  on  the  oceaa  wave,  and  a  home  on  the 
rolling  deep,"  been  with  us  in  that  eight  days'  blow,  he  would  have  been 
perfectly  satisfied,  and  perhaps  a  little  more  desirous  for  a  fixed  habita- 
tion.    We  were  not  a  little  astonished  at  its  duration  when  we  remem-. 
bered  that  it  was  in  the  mild  and  balmy  month  of  June,  which  Lieut. 
Maury  informs  us  is  the  best  for  laying  the  cable,  if  gales  alone  are  to 
be  taken  into  the  account.     His  calculations,  however,  have  proved  in 
our  case  to  be  terribly  astray,  and  have  been  partly  the  cause  of  the  ex- 
pedition sailing  in  this  month.     Had  we  but  known  what  was  in  store 
for  us,  and  that  by  delaying  our  departure  for  two  or  three  weeks  we 
would  have  escaped  the  most  severe  weather  we  have  yet  experienced,  wo 
certainly  would  not  have  sailed  before  the  latter  part  of  June  or  the  com- 
mencement of  J  uly.     However,  as  has  been  stated,  we  are  at  la.st  favored 
with  good  weather,  although  not  so  pleasant  as  could  be  desired.     It  is 
very  seldom  during  the  day  that  the  sun  is  visible,  and  the  fog  is  one  of 
our  most  frequent  and  unwelcome  visitors.     But  no  matter ;  let  us  lay 
the  cable  this  time,  and  all  these  little  annoyances  will  soon  be  forgotten. 
At  ten  o'clock  this  morning,  the  length  of  the  cable  paid  out  was 
about  eighty  miles,  and  the  wh(.lo  amount  submerged  between  the  two 
Bhipg,  at  least  one  hundred  and  s;xty.     This  is  certainly  doing  well,  and 
M  there  is  apparently  nothing  to  prevent  us  from  doing  this  way  all  the 
time,  confidence  is  reviving  rapidly.     The  continuity  is  still  perfect,  and 
the  electricianB  report  that  the  signals  which  are  passing  between  the 
sHps  are  very  satisfactory.     No  message  are  trai^pnitted,  ais  it  was 


^ 


922 


THE   <H)KAN    TET.BORAPH. 


t 

j 

'  :  ■  t 


I;  ii'i 


ill? 


L  ','  '■■ 


\l 


'\'^. 


Bgrrt'd    bcforo   sturtinp   tliat    nom-   should    bo   sent.      Thti   object   of 
this   is   f,o   prev.'nt   the  pusHibility  of  thoHo  errors  which    might  arise 
from  iiii[)t'rft'ct   luunipuhinon   of  the  opcrAtorri,  or  (iiflRcultics  from   the 
Bubstitutioii  of  a  more  complex   form  of  instrumnnt  than  in  rwiuired, 
merely  for  the  trniiHiiiirtsioii  of  Higiiiils.     By  adopting  the  prcsxent  plan, 
the  cloctrieians  have  not  only  prevented  the  oocurrenee  of  iiiistakes  from 
Buoh  a  ciiuse,  but  they  have  succeeded  iu  securing  the  moat  p.  rfect  way 
of  ^HCorUining  the   electrical   condition   of  the  conductor.      Now  it  is 
merely  necessary  to  look  at  the  needle  to  be  assured  that  the  contiimity 
is  porfi(;t  am.  that  the  signah  are  passing  through  the  whole  length  ofl- 
the  c.tblo.     A  great  deal  of  interest  centres  around  the  olectrieians'  offipe, 
and  although  there  are  few,  if  any,  who  are  scientific  enough  to  under- 
stand the  various  operations  that  are  ^|;oing  on  therein,  there  are  none 
who  are  dispo,sed  to  undervalue  their  importance.     The  door  is  almost 
always  shut,  and  the  electricians  pursue  their  work  undisturbed ;  but  it 
is  impossible  to  exclude  that  spirit  of  in(iuiry  which  will  satiuto  its  thirst 
for  information  even  through  a  keyhole.     The  office,  wtiieli  is  of  the  giost 
limited  dimension.^,  has  been  fitted  up  alongside  of  the  wardroom  coil, 
and  that  part  of  the  top  of  the  coil  which  overlooks  it  affords  a  complete 
view  of  the  movements  of  the  electricians  and  of'tho  in.strument  which 
tells  then,  all  about  the  continuity.     The  slender  piece  of  steel  which  is 
attached  to  the  cont/e  of  the  dial  that  stands  on  the  little  bench  before 
you,  never  fails  to  indicate  the  condition  of  the  conductor.     If  there  is 
no  current  passing  through  the  eaUe,  the  piee<<  of  steel  is  perfectly  mo- 
tionless ;  but  the  moment  a  wave  is  sept  through  the  conductor  it  exhibita 
unmistakable  signs  of  activity,  and  refuses  to  return  to  its  former  qui- 
escent hitate  till  the  subtle  current  ceases  to  paas  from  ship  to  ship. 

Various  reports  are  current  among  the  sailors  in  regard  to  the  opera- 
tions of  the  electricians  and  the  mysterious  performances  which  are  sop- 
posed  to  be  going  on  in  the  little,  office.  The  continuity  i.s  something 
they  don't  exactly  understand,  but  they  are  fully  aware  of  its  importance, 
and  know  .ts  well  as  the  most  learned  that  when  it  is  gone  the  further 
laying  of  the  cable  is  only  a  loss  of  time  and  a  useless  expenditure  of 
money.  Their  interest  in  the  work  appears  to  increase  every  day,  and 
although  they  will  be  the  least  gainers  by  its  success  they  are  none  the 
lesa'anxiou.-^!  to  witness  its  triumphant  termination.  The  cable  guard- 
that  is,  the  body  of  men  by  whom  the  cable  was  coiled— appear  to  have 
taken  the  whole  enterprise  under  their  special  charge,  and  when  among 
their  associates  who  wore  not  so  fortunate  as  to  have  been  enlistodUn  the 
service,  speak  in  the  tone  of  Sir  Oracles  upon  every  thing  connected  with 
the  subject,  and  are  regarded  by  some  of  their  messmates  as  undisgSSed 
aritboritirv-  Than  aie  uurtainlv  nnnn  «k  ttu»  4hl*i  m6re  wilTingM 


-.■;;fffr;.VTf,';«f»»/,-W/iTi'?'  KHj •».'.' 


THK   CW8UOOEB8FUL   KXl'RDrrrOM   OF   1858. 


228 


whatever  in  required  of  thein,aii(i  none  that  should  be  more  HUCifltantially 
remembered  by  the  Atlantic  Telegraph  C«ftipany.  They  liav.  ^iirformed 
the  hardest  part  of  the  work,  and  as  long  as  thcrv  wan  a  foot  l)t'  th<!  cable 
to  be  coiled  thoy  were  always  ready.  As  the  paying-out  proc<'3,s  docs 
not  rw^uire  so  many,  their  number  Iiuh  bi'eti  reduceil  tVorn  ov(  r  a  hundred 
to  about  Bixly,  and  the  greater  part  of  tiic-io  are  cngagrd  <]ii  the  coils, 
looking  out  for  kinks — certainly  an  easy  task  compared  with  that  on 
which  they  were  formerly  employed.  There  they  stand,  watcliing  the  cable 
as  it  is  unwound  at  the  rate  of  five  and  sis  miles  an  hour,  and  paSBes 
out  over  tJie  cone  on  its  way  to  the  [laying-out  mncbini'.  Turn  after 
turn  is  unwound,  faster  than  a  man  can  walk,  until  there  ]n  not  mofe 
thon  six  flakes  left.  Tho  superintendent  of  the  coil  now  calls  out  to  the 
man  who  is  at  the  speaking  tube  which  extends  to  the  engine  room  to  "go 
slow,"  an  order  he  immediately  rejieats  through  the  tube  to  the  engineer 
on  watch.  Tho  speed  of  the  ship  is  at  ouce  reduced,  the  cable  is  paid 
out  at  a  diminished  r,ate...aj:id  as  the  last  flake  goes  up,  and  as  tho  centre 
of  the  coil — where  the  turns  are  perhajjs  six  times  less  than  near  its  cir- 
cumferences— is  reacheil,  the  danger  of  kinking  is  entirely  obviated.  This 
process  is  performed  every  time  a  new  AkIv  )  is  commenced,  as  tlnii  rate  of 
jjaying  out  from  the  centre — vrhf  he  tiJrnSTwe  not  more  than  seven  or 
-'  eightfeet  in  diameter — cannot,  of  course,  be  carried  on  safely  with  the  same 
rapidity  as  at  those  points  where  the  diameter  of  the  turns  varie^ from  ten  to 
forty  feet.  The  coil  is  already  reduced  to  one-half  its  originatsize,-and  add- 
ing what  was  paid  out  at  the  fatal  termination  of  the  second  attempt,  nearly 
one  hundred  and  thirty  tons  of  cable  have  been  deposited  at  the  bottom 
of  the  ocean.  The  remainder  will  probably  be  payed  out  between  twelve 
and  one  o'clock  to-night,  should  no  accident  occur.  Then  there  will  be 
an  exciting  time,  and  the  commencement  on  a  new  coil  will  beSratched 
with  intense  interest,  for  the  transfer  from  one  cable  circle  to  another  is 
an  opcrat)bu  which  ia  sometimes  attended  with  risk.  All  the  prelimi- 
nary preparations,  however,  have  been  made ;  the  men  thori>ughly  un- 
derstand the  nature  of  the  operation,  and  it  is  almost  impossible  for  an 
accident  to  take  place.  As  there  is  considerable  anxiety,  however,  ex- 
hibited in  regard  to  jits  sucoess,  there  won't  bo  much  eleeping  done  until_ 
it  is  all  over.  Although  the  machinery  is  working  perfectly,  and  the  an- 
gle the  cable  makes  with  the  water  sljowa  fthat  nothing  is  to  bo  appre- 
,  bended  from  the  strain,  the  elcotrifiians'  ofiSco  ia  watched  with  an  uneasy 
feeling,  and  the  movements  of  tl^e  electricians  themselves  are  eagerly 
fflilowod,  m  if  their  very  thoughts  could  be  read  .(herefrom.  "  Well, 
Bir.  de  Sauty,"  says  one  of  the  most  anxious  of  the  cable  layers — 
"  welljhow  is  the  continuity  now  ?  "  "  Capital,  and  the  signals  are  com- 
iug  uuliirgrBud  style/'  he  repliray  and- adds,  '*i  hope  liiey  will  contintrq 


^1 


# 


\ 


224 


THE  OCEAN   TKLKQEAPH, 


i.  ! 


•  ft 
IB 


SI- 


vfr 


:>!?<". 


,-->^ 


so" — a  hope  in  which  it  is  almost  needless  to  say  every  oue'indulges. 
The  vessel  was  goiog  about  foiir  miles  ajid  a  half  an  hour  at  six  o'clock, 
and  the  expenditure  of  cable  is  about;  a  mile  more,  the  strain  being 
•nineteen  hundred  pounds,  or  a  little  lesslhan  one-fourth  the  amount  the 
cal  le  is  calculated  to  bear.     Nino  o'olocll  has  struck,  and  the  writer  has 
juf.t  sat  down  in  one  of  the  little  rooms  of  the  wardroom  to  record  the 
occurrences  of  the  day  in  his  note-book,  when  he  hears  a  hasty  step  ;  ut- 
side  across  the  floor,  and  some  one  asking  in  a  hurried,  nervous  man.ier 
for  Mr.  Laws.     There  is  something  in  both  that  tells  him  all  is  not  right, 
and  in  a  few  minuto.s  more  his  worst  fears  are  realized.     The  continuity 
is  gone  again,  although  the  cable  still  goes  out  over  the  stem  iu  the 
same  style,  and  there  is  no  indication,  so  far  as  appears  from  the  opera- 
tion of  the^taachinery  that  there  is  any  thing  wrong.     But  the  little 
magnetic  >eedle  in  the  electricians'  office— the  unerring  indicator  of  the 
eleotrical  condition  of  the  cable— refuses  to  move,  and  the  electriciana, 
after  going  through  all  the  tests,  have  at  laSt  to  succumb.     The  conti- 
nuity is  gone,  and  they  find  it  imj  issible  to  restore  it,  although  they  may 
■  use  alt  the  appliances  of  the  woi.  Jerful  science  they  have  at  command. 
It  was  subsequently,  on  the  return  of  the  squadron  to  Queens'town,  found 
that  tlie  accident  was  caused  by  the  parting  of  the  cable  a  few  feet  from 
the  stern  of  the  Agamemnon. 

After  all  hope  of  the  continuity  being  restored  was  abandoned,  a 
moat  satisfactory  test  was  made  in  regard  to  the  strength  of  the  cable. 
The  process  of  paying-out  was  stopped  for  about  an  hour  and  a  half  dur- 
ing which  the  Niagara  was  literally  held  by  it,  the  wind  blowing  fresh 
all  the  time.  A  pressure  of  over  four  tons  was  put  upon  the  brakes, 
and  it  abfeolutely  seemed  impossible  to  break  the  cable.  At  length  it 
gave  way,  after  holding  the  ship,  as  wa  have  said,  an  hour  and  an  half, 
and  resisting  a  straip  of  over  four  tons  which  was  put  upon  the  brakes! 
The  amount  of  cable  paid  out  was  142  miles  and  280  fathoms,  and- the 
-^o^taL  amount  lost  in  the  three  attempts  wa^  190  miles  and  257  fathoms, 
while  the  distance  run  in  the  last  attempt  wa&  109  nautical  u  iles.  This 
is  a  loss  of -J  I  per  cent,  or  about  two-fifths  of  the  surplus  which  was  al- 
lowed  for  excessive  expenditure  in  laying  the  cable.  We  have  now  on 
board  1,090^  nautical  miles,  which,  added  to  a  similar  length  on  the 
Agamemnon,  makes  a  total  of  nearly  2,200  nautical  miles. 

THE  8T0BM. 

The  severe  gale  through  which  we  passed  was  so  little  felt  on  board 
oar  ship,  that  we  could  not  realiio  its  terrible  force  until  we  heard  of  its 
effects  on  the  Agamemnon.  As,  however,  those  who  were  on  board  of 
her  during  the  storm  are  beet  qualified  to  describe  the  s«»Pn«a  j.,^^  Jngj. 


w 

I 


THE   UN81TCCES9FCX,  EXPiKITION   OF   1S58.  225' 

dentB  which  occurred  during  those  ei^ht  long  aud  anxjous  days  of  its  con- 
tinuance, we  will  let  them  tell  the   story.     Tbo   following  vivid  and' 
thTiUing  account  is  froth  the  pen  of  Mr.  Wood,  the  special  correspond- 
ent of  the  London  Times  : 

At  half-past  twelve,  on  Monday  morning,  the  I'ith  July,  the  Aga- 
memnon anchored  off  Queenstown,  after  having,  as  your  readers  are  nov, 
aware,  failed  in  the  attempt  to  submerge  the  Atlantic  cable.  The  arrr- 
val  of  the  Niagara  must  have  made  known  the  bare  fact  that  tho  cable 
had  parted,  a^d  the  tremendous  gales  and  unfavorable  weather  which 
all  the  squadrro  had  to  contend  against,  more  or  less,  though  only  those 
on  board  the  Agamemnon  can  be  said  to  know  the  real  nature  of  the  peril 
which  wfts  encoiihtered,  and  the  long  series  of  difficulties,  mishaps,  and 
misfortunes  which  marked  almost  the  entire  cruise  from  first  to  last.  Not 
often  have  so  many  adverse  and  disheartening  circumstances  been  cram- 
med into  a  voyage  of  thirty-three  days,  and  never  l^ave  the  enterprise,  skill, 
and  courage  of  all  connected  with  the  undertaking  been  more  conspiou- 
ously  displayed  than  in  overcoming  each  obstacle  as  it  arose,  almost  with 
every  day.  The  next  thing  to  success  is  to  deserve  it ;  and  certainly,  if 
any  scheme  was  ever  entitled  to  prosper  from  the  perseverance  and  de^ 
votio  1  of  those  engaged  in  carrying  it  out,  that  success  was  unquestionably 
due  to  the  efforts  of  all  on  board  the  Agamemnon  in  favor  of  tho  under- 
taking. For  once,  however,  fortune  did  not  favor  the  bold.  The  attempt 
to  lay  the  cable  failed  three  times,  and  once  in  the  most  mysterious 
manner ;  and  those  on  board  Sfcvc  only  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that 
every  thing  that  care  and  foresight  could  suggest  was  done.  Beyond 
this  consciousness  that  all  has  been  achieved  that  was  possible  with  such 
•materials,  no  comfort  is  to  be  gleaned  from  the  latengttempts,  except, 
perhaps,  in  the  fact  that  as  muc'i  wire  or  more  still  remains  than  the  cx- 
peditioft  was  commenced  with  last  year^  and  that  both  vessels  wilt  start 
again  for  another  and  a  last  attempt  the  instant  they  have  filled  up  with 
coal — that  is,  by  Saturday  next  at  latest. 

Y.our  readers  are  already  aware  both  the  "  wire  "  ships  quitted  Eng- 
land in  the  most  unfavorable  trim  possible  for  bad  weather.  Accord- 
ing to  appearances  at  starting,  however,  bad  weather  seemed  of  all  others 
the  risk  least  likely  to  be  encountered,  so  every  thing  had  been  foreseen, 
prognosticated^  and  provided  for  but  a  gale  ;  that,  of  course,  was  oat  of 
the  question.  That  traditional  veteran,  Brown,  of  tho  Translantio  line, 
who  had  weathered  bo  many  storms  in  the  Atlantic,  showed  how  in  June 
one  never  had  occurred,  while  Jones  proved  how  it  wouldn't,  and  Bobinson 
made  "  all  serene "  by  demonstrating  clearly  how  it  couldn't  happea 
We  might  meet  light  winds  and  encounter  some  delay  from  calms  and 
-  snltty  w«ithcr,"bBt^B^^Sei-^^  f«gulH^  Atlftntio  storm — thr  t«^  id«»- 

16 


n 


:i^-  i 


226 


THE   OCEAN   TEXEOBAPU. 


Ill 


■  I'-i 


If  ;  .  ■  [ 
I 


was  food  for  laughter.     So  the  wire  sqaadron  went  to  sea,  with  the  two 
chief  vessels  ladeu  almost  t<>  the  water's  Hge,  and  in  all  other  respects 
,     so  little   fitted  for  rough  water,  that,  had  a  tithe  of  the  tremendous 
weather  they  experienced  been  foreseen  at  home,  not  a  ship  would  have 
moved    from  Plymouth    Soimd.,      The  Agamemnon   had  2,840  tons 
dead  weight  in  her,  a  monstrous  load  for  any  ship  of  her  tonnage,  but 
made  still  more  dangerous  and  overbearing  by  the  manner  in  which  it 
was  stowed.     In  her  hold  was  the  main  coil,  a  compact  mass  of  1,100 
miles  in  length,  and  therefore  1,100  tons  in  weight.      On  hor  orlop 
deck,  right  forward,  between  the  eyes,  as  sailors  say,  was  another  coil 
of  100  tons,  while  on  her  upper  deck,  and  also  right  forward,  was  a  coU- 
of  2;!(5  tons.     The  latter  was  of  sufBcient  size  to  interfere  seriously  with 
the  proper  working  of  the  vessel  ffom  the  deck,  and  the  united  weights 
of  all,  of  course,  brought  'the  Agamemnon  down  by  the  head  to  an  al- 
most unsafe  extent.     The  two  small  coils,  it  was  said,  counteracted  the 
weight  of  the  ponderous  mass  in  the  bottom  of  the  ship,  and  certainly 
if  they  d.d  not  tend  to  check  the  vessel's  rolling,  they  made  it  easier  and 
less  dangerous  to  the  masts.     When  the  ship  did  roll,  however,  there 
was  a  constant  struggle  between  the  weights  at  the  bottom  aujl  the  weights 
at  the  top,  and  the  ship's  sides,  as  the  levers  along  which   the  force  of 
both  was  exerted  and  resisted,  suffered  in  proportion.     This  however 
was  not  the  evil  of  the  upper  deck  coil,  nor  the  rea,son  which,  after  the 
bad  weather  had  set  in,  made  it  an  object  of  constant  anxiety  and  almost 
of  dread  to  all  on  board.     It  was  bad  enough  to  cruise  with  a  S^ 
weight  forward  of  some  250  tons,  a  weight  under  which  her  deck  planks 
gaped  an  inch  apart,  and  her  beams  threatened  daily  to  give  way ;  tut 
when  to  these  evils  was  added  the  fear  in  bad  weather  that  in  some  of 
her  heavy  rolls  the  whole  m/iss  would  slip  and  take  the  vessel's  side  out, 
It  will  be  seen  that  in  the  whole  the  precious  coil  was  justly  esteemed 
the  bcie  noire  of  the  entire  affair— the  millstone  about  the  necks  of  all 
However,  as  we  have  said,  nobody  thought  of  these  things  when  on  the 
morning  of  tl^e  10th  of  June  the  squadron  quitted  Plymouth.     It  was 
then  to  be  a  yachting  cruise— a  mere  summer-trip— and  any  talk  of  wa- 
tcrproofs  and  sou'westers  would  not  have  been  more  out  of  place  in  a 
drawing-room  than  on  the  deck  of  the  Agamemnon.  The  day  favored  this 
lUusum.     The  barometer  stood  at  30  64.  the  weather  was  hot  and  sultry, 
and  after  all  sail  had  been  set  and  re-set  and  cverj-  naval  artifice  adopt- 
ed to  catch  the  bree«e  that  would  not  come.  Captain  Preedy  reluctontly 
(for  we  had  little  more  than  coal  for  the  voyage  home)  gave  orders  to 
get  up  steam.     The  Niagara,  having  plenty  of  coal,  had  tho  advantage 
of  beingalways  under  steam,  and  the  Valorous  «nd  a»rgoit  did  mojily 
iOhe  Agamemnon.     Friday  was  the  ditto  of  the  previous  day.     Tho 


HIE    IIN8UCCE88FIIL   EXHKDmON    Of    1858. 


227 


rith  the  two 
lor  rcspecta 
tremeudoua 
would  have 
2,840  tons 
onnage,  but 
in  which  it 
is  of  1,100 

hor  orlop 
nothor  coil 

was  a  coil  ' 
iously  with 
«d  weighta 
d  to  an  &[• 
raoted  the 
1  certainly, 

easier  and 
ever,  there 
:he  weights 
be  force  of 
!,  however, 
,  after  the 
and  alraos^ 
th  a  diad 
cok  planks 

way;  \,\xt    ,. 
in  some  of 
's  side  oat, 

esteemed 
cka  of  all. 
on  on  the 
It  was 
alk  of  wa- 
place  in  a 
vored  this 
nd  sultry, 
ice  adopt- 
iluctantly 
orders  to 
idvantage 

4mogt^ 

ay.    The 


fame  coquettish .  hreeze  came  fluttering  through  the  rigging  now  and 
then,  and  it  was  "  Hands,  up  screw  and  make  sail,"  and  "  down  screw 
and  shorten-sail,"  all  day,  till  even  Capt.  Preedy  wearied  in  his  eflforts 
to  save  fuel.'  Every  one  wished  for  a  breeze,  and  there  were  some  who, 
never  having  been  at  sea  before,  muttered  rush  hopes  that  tliey  might 
rather  meet  an  Atlantic  gale  ;  and  their  wishes  were  gratified  as  it  turn- 
ed out  far  more  than  the  people  who  expressed  them  wished.  Saturday 
the  weather  was  cold  and  dull,  but  the  breeze  was  so  prononcf,  that  the 
screw  was  finally  hoisted,  and  the  fires  raked  out,  while  the  Agamemnon, 
.  under  royals  and  studding  sails,  went  through  the  water  at  a  rare  pace. 
Bending  the  foam  fron»>  her  ^ws  and  leaving  a  broad  trail  of  still  water 
upon  the  angry  sea  ^|MBL     What  could  be  better  ? 

It  became  ^<^s^  JHMHf  towards  noon,  when  the  wind  and  sea  got 
up  as  the  glass  welUBmf  und  the  water  grew  darker,  and  the  clouds 
on  the  horizon  were  merged  into  a  dirty  Laze,  thickening  towards  the 
sea,  and  boding  very  ill,  indeed,  to  a  summer  cruise.  Before  evening 
came  the  sail  on  the  ship  was  reduced  to  half,  for  the  wind  was  up,  with 
squally  gusts  of  heavy. rain,  and  the  barometer  had  gone  below  2!),  and 
was  still  falling  rapidly.  Such  was  the  night ;  but  Sunday  told" its  own 
tale,  for  even  those  least  versed  in  the  boisterous  premonitory  symptoms 
of  an  Atlantic  gale  c^uld  see  at  a  glance  that  we  were  in  for  it.  The 
gky  seemed  a  wretched  mist^ — half  rain,. half  vapor — through  which  the 
other  vessels  of  the  squadron  loomed  faintly  like  shadows,  watery  and 
unsuljstantial  as  the  Flying  Dut(^hman.  The  sea  had  changed  its  bright 
crisp  blue  for  a  turgid  foamy  aspect,  and  the  great  waves  of  the  Atlantic 
came  rolling  towards  us  in  tremendous  suecession,  like  hills  of  water 
with  their  tops  all  jagged  and  broken  by  the  fierce  wind,  and  their  white 
ousts  of  foam  blown  out  into  a  stream  of  feathery  spray  that  almost  hid 
the  huge  dark  gulfs  between  them.  The  Agamemnon,  however,  still 
kept  on  her  way,  rolling  and  straining  heavily,  and  giving  all  a  f;iir  fore- 
taste of  what  they  might  expect  when  the  gale  set  in  worse,  for  the  wind 
was  fast  going  round  to  the  southwest,  and  it  was  evident  we  were  only 
at  the  beginning.  There  was  Divine  service  that  day  on  the  main  deck, 
and,  as  officers  and  men  sat  iu  n.spectful  silence,  every  change  in  the 
fast  increasing  violence  of  the  gale  could.be  distinctly  noted  through  the 
open  hatchways.  Heavy  rain  was  falling,  and  a  grayish-looking  scud 
was  flying  across  the  sky  with  inconceivable  rapidity  ;  and  every  rope 
and  shroud,  tautened  to  *he  utmost,  was  humming  with  a  loud  and  clear 
noise,  as  if  ten  thousand  accordoons  were  going  at  once,  while  now  and 
then,  as  the  ship  fetched  up  near  the  wind,  her  great  sails  flapped  and 
sltrtttsd  Hkc  pcalr  of  thuljd*r,  jet^ktBg^e  T«fl9»»l  with  an  nneaey  vibra* 
tion,  as  if  the  masts  were  coming  out  of  her.     Still,  among  the  little  oon- 


fSf 


Is  ' 


■  '. 


»  i 


f5f 


,|n: 


:J 


1^  f 


,;  1:- 


228 


THB  OCEAN  TELEGRAPB^. 

/ 


gregation,  no  ono  moTod  more  than  was  necessiiry  to  keep  liia  seat  as  the 
ship  lurched  over,  and  the  service  proceeded  as  little  disturbed  by  th^ 
war  of  elements  outside  as  if  all  were  asaembkd  within  the  walls  ofl^k 
cathedral.     Towards  the  end,  however,  Capt.  Preedy  looked  Up  wist- 
fully through  the  hatchway  Once  or  twice,  scrutimziug. the  masts  and 
sails  with  a  kcfn  glance,  for  the  storm  was  getting  worse  arid  the  air  • 
darker  aftd  thicker  every  minute,  and  the  hoarse  roar  through  the  rig- 
ging was  drowning  every  other  sound.    Service  over,  and  it  was  "  Hands, 
f      reef  topsails;"  then  again,  aftar  a  little  lapse,  the  same  cry;  and  yet 
again,  till  at  four  in  the- afternoon  the  Agamemnon  was  rushing  through 
the  foam  under  close-reefed  topsaiUand  foresail.     At  half-past  fonr  we     - 
caughf,  the  last  glimpse  of  the  Gorgon,  as  making  a  long  stretch  to  wind- 
ward jihe  was  lost  in  the  misty  darkness  that  marked  the  horizon.     At      ' 
five  the  Valorous  began  to  drop  astern,  and  by  six  she  also  had  disap- 
peared;  bat  .still  the  Niagara  and  Agamemnon  held  on  together— the 
former  under  sail   and  Bteam,  the  latter,  like  all  the  ^English  vessels,  . 
under  sail  alone.     Of  the  two  vessels  specially  appointed  to  convoy  and 
aesist,  if  necessary,  the^gar.emuon  and  Niagara,  wo  saw,  no  more  till      ■ 
.     all  danger  was  past  and  the  squadron  had  re-asSembled  at  the  rendez- 
•vous  flome  twelve  days  afterwards.     On  Sunday  night  the  gale  seemed 
at  its  worst.     The  ocean  rcoembled  one  vast  snowdrift,  the  whitish  glare 
from  whioh,  reflected  <m  the  dark  clouds  that  almost  rested  on  the  sea, 
had  a  tremendous  and  unnatural  effect,  as  if  the  Ordinary  laws  of  nature 
had  been  reversed  by  the  storm. 

The  Niagara,  which  had  hitherto  kept  cloeej  began  to  give  us  i  very 

Wide  berth,  and,  as  darkness  increased,  she  to^  went  out  of  sight,  and  it 

was  every  one  for  themselves.     There  must  be  many  of  your  readers 

who  know  what  a  line-of-battle  ship  is  in  iw  gale  of  wind,  though  sue* 

experience  would  give  them  but  a  faint  notiop-of  how  the  Agamemnon 

'vent  at  it  all  that  night.    She  strained  and  labored  under  her  heavy  burden 

as  if  she  were  breaking  up,  and  the  massive  beams  under  her  upper  deck 

,  coil  cracked  and  snapped  with  a  noise  reseiiibling  that  of  small  artiUery, 

almost  drowning  the  hideous  roar  of  the  wind  as  it  moaned  and  hrrwled 

through  the  rigging,  jerking  andstraining  the  little  stormsails  as  though 

It  meant  to  tear  them  from  tho  yards.     Those  in  the  improvised  cabins 

on  the  main  deck  had  Tittle  sleep  tha,   night,  for  the  upper  deck  planks 

above  them  were  working  themselves  f  r^e,  as  sailors  say,  and,  beyond  a 

doubt,  they  were  infinit«ly  more  free  than  easy,  for  they  groaned  under 

the  pressure  of  the  coil  with  a  dreadful  uproar,  and  availed  themselves 

of  the  opportunity  to  let  in  a  Uttle  light,  with  a  good  deal  of  water,  at 

^everyroll.     Theses,  4aerkept«triki^^itfc  damreavy  vi^letiw  gggfest^ 

the  vessel's  bows,  forcing  its  way  through  hawse  holes  and  ill  closed  ports 

i  ■      >■ 


I  seat  as  the  - 


THE  ■PNSTJCOESdFriii  EXPKDrftON   OF   1858. 


,     »• 


229 


trith  a  heavy  slush,  an(J  thence,  hissing  -and  winding  aft,  it  Toused  the 
opcupants  of  the  cabins  aforesaid  to  a  knowledge  that  their  floors  were 
under  water,  and  that  the  flotsam  and  jetsam  noises  they  heard  beneath 
wer^  only  oaH^d  by  their  outfit  for  the  voyage  taking  a  cruise  of  its 
own  in  some  five  or  six  inches  of  dirty  bilge.  Such  was  Sunday  night, 
and  such  was  a  fair  average  of  all  th6  nights  throughout  the  week, 
varying  only  from  bad  to  worse. 

Daybreak  on  Monday  ushered  in  as  fierce  a  gale  as  ever  swept  over 
the  Atlantic.     The  barometer  was  lower,  and,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
the  wind  and  sea  were  infinitely  higher  than  the  day  before.     It  was 
singular,  but  at  twelve  o'clock  the  sun  pierced  through^  the  pall  of 
clouds  and  shone  brilliantly  for   half  an  hour,  and   during  that  brief 
time  it  blew  as  it  has  not  often  blown  before.     So  fierce  was  this  gust 
that  its  roar  drowned  every  other  sound,  and  it  was  almost  impossible 
to  give  the  watch  the  necessary  orders  for  taking  in  the  close  ?eefed  • 
foresail,  which,  when  furled,  almost  left  the  Agamemnon  under  bare 
poles,  though  still  surging  through  the  water  at  speed.     This'  gust  past, 
and  the  usual  gale  set  in — now  blowing  steadily  ^yom  the  southwest,  and 
taking  us  more  and  more  out  of  iQur  course  each  minute.     Every  hour 
the  storm  got  worse,  until  towards  five  in  the  afternoon,  when  it  seemed 
at  its  height,  and  raged  with  such  a  violence  of  wind  and  sea  that  matters  ' 
I'eally  looked  serious,  even  f<»r  such  a  strcmg  and  large  ship  as  tHg  Aga- 
memnon.    The  upper  deck  coil  had  Strained  her  decks  throughout  ex- 
cessively, and,  though  this  mass  in  theory  was  supposed  to  prevent  heir 
rolling  so  quickly  and  heavily  as  she  would  hare  done  without  it,  yet- 
still  she  heeled  Qver  to  such  an  iilarming  exjtent  that  fears  of  the  coil 
itself    shifting  again  occupied  every   mind,    and   it  was   accordingly 
strengthened  with  additional  shores,   bolted  down;  to   the  deck.     The 
space  occupied  by  the  main  coil  below  h^d  deprived  the  Agamem^non  of 
several  of  her  coal  ))unkers,  and  in  order  to  floake  up  for  this  deficiency,  as 
well  as  to  endeavor  to  counterbalance  the  inunense  mass  which  weighed 
her  down- by  the  head,  a  large  quantity  of  coals  had  been  stowed  on  the 
deck  aft.     On  eAoh  aide  of  her  main  deck  Were  thirty-five,  tons,  secured 
in  a  mass,  while  on  the  lower  deck  ninety  tons  were  stowed  tWay  in  the 
same  manner.     The  precautions  taken  to  secure  these  great  masses  also 
required  attention  as  the  great  ship  surged  from  Brde  to  side.     But 
these'jBoals  seemed  secure,  and  were  so,  in  fact,  unless  the  vessel  'shoiild  , 
almost  capsise-— an  unpleasant  alt«rnativo  which  no  one  certainly  antici- 
pated then.     Every  thing,  therefore,  was  made  "  snug,"  as  sailors  call  it, 
though  their  eflForta  by  no  means  resulted  in  the  comfort  which  might 

hate  been  expected  firom The  i»rm.     ""-■        ,      ~'  •' 

The  night,  however,  passed  over  without  any  mischance  beyond  the 


'^\ 


/'^ 


t\ 


% 


iF    I 


\        * 


rt^/..s,J^,t,.'- 


.it, 

'.l-J 


230 


THK  jOgkAN  TKLKOfiAl-fl. 


■m 


fi!;- 


m 

Pi' 


|t£i 


smashing  of  all  things  incautious!^  leff  loose  and  capabl!?  of  rolling 
and  one  or  two  attempts  which  the  Agamemnon  made  in  the  middle 
^tch  api  rentlj^to  turn  bottom,  upwards.  In  all  other  matters  it  was 
,  fTe  mere  ditto  of  Sunday  night,  except,  perhaps,  a  little  worse,  and  cer- 
tamlj  much  more  wet  below. 

Tuesday  the  gale  continued  with  almost  unabated  force,  thou*li 
he  barometer  had  risen  29  to  ^0,  and  there  was  sufficient  ^n 
to  ake  a  clear  observation,  which  showed  our  distance  from  the 
rendezvous  to  be  663  miles.  During  this  afternoon  the  Niagara  re- 
jomed  company,  and,  the  wind  going  more  ahead,  the  Agamemnon  took 
to  violent  pitching,  plunging  steadily  into  the  trough  of  the  sea,  as  if 
she  meant  to  break  her  back  and  lay  the  Atlant'  cable  ia  a  heap 
This  change  m  her  motion  strained  and  taxed  every  inch  of  timb^ 

Zt:       T:  '"^"'""*-     I^— "oustosee'howthey  woTkS 
and  bent  as  the  Agamemnon  went  at  every  thing'  she  met  head  first 
One  time  she  pitched  so  heavily  as  \o  break  one  of  the  main  beams  of 
s  dt^orf  h"''''"'^'*"'^  '''''''  ''^  «^--^-^«  forthwUh     I 
If  to  read  •;.  ''^'''''  '""^«  ^  ^'"""^^  ^'  ^^  ^^^^P-  -^  ^"U^r 
Suffice,  then,  to  say  that  there  was  the  same  sea  and  less  wind  on 

Satj^day,  the  19th  of  June,  things  looked  a  little  better     The 

first  time  that  morning  since  the  gale  began,  some  six  days  previous 
^e  decks  could  be  walked  with  tolerable  comfort  and  security,  Z' 
a  as!  appearances  are  as  deceitful  in   the  Atlantic  as  elsewhere   and 
during  a  comparative  calm  that  afternoon,  the  xrlass  fell  l2I  Tv, 
thin  line  of  black  haze  to  windward  seemed  to  grTw  u!  Z  'th.    I  " 

t^at,  after  all,  the  worst  was  yet  to  come.  There  was  much  heaVy  rain 
that  evening  and  then  the  ^d  began-not  violently,  nor  in  IsTs  b^ 
with  a.teadily  increasing  foTTe,  as  if  the  gale  was  determinX  do  iL 
work-slowly,  buUo  do  it  well.  The  sea  was  "  ready-bu"  t^hand  "  ^^ 
«Jors  say,  so  that  at  first  the  storm  did  little  morl  than  urron  th" 
pondero^  masses  of  water  with  redoubled  force,  and  fill  the  air  with  tte 
foam  and  spray  it  tore  from  their  rugged  crests.'  By  and  bX'^r  i 
Cu^Zth""'";;,"'  "'.^"P*'''"  P-edy  himself  remafned  on  deck 

wore'  and   r  A       "*''^'  '"  *''  ''"'  ""^  ^'^"'^  ^"'"^  —  "^ 
worse,    and   Uie  Agamemnon,   rolling   thirty  degre«»  each   way    was 

Jaborm^heavily,  and^training  to  adangerJu«.f^t  ^' 

At  tohr  ii    If    on;!  -^~  .1 ^ 1    . 


At  four  4.  M.,  Bail  was  shortened  to  olose-reefed  foro  and  main-top- 


i^l 


TITE   TJNBUOOESSFUL   EXPEDITION   OF   1858. 


331 


sail  and  reefed  foresails — a  long.and  tedicms  job,  for  the  wind  ao  roared 
an4  howled,  and  the  hiss  of  the  boiling  sea  was  so  deafening,  that  words 
of  command  were  useless,  and  the  men  aloft  holding  on  with  all  their 
might  to  the  yards  as  the  ship  rolled  over  and  over  almost  to  the  water, 
were  quite  incapable  of  struggling  with  the  masses  of  wet  canvas  that  , 
flapped  and  plunged  as  if  men  and  yards  and  every  thing  wore  going 
away  together.     The  ship  wajs  almost  as  wet  inside  as  out ;  and  so  things 
wore  on  till  eight  or  nine  o'«l6ck,  every  thing  getting  adrift  and  being 
smashed,  and  every  one  on  feoard  jamming  themselves  up  in  corners  or 
ho'ding  on  to  beams  to  prevent  their  going  adrift  likewise.     At  ten 
o'clock  the  Agamemnon  was  rolling  and  laboring  fearfully,  with  the  sky 
getting  darker,  and  both  wind  and  sea  iniireased  every  minute.     At 
about  half-past  ten  o'clock  three  or  four  gigantic'  waves  were  seen  ap- 
proaching the  ship,  coming  heavily  and  «lowly  on  through  the  mist, 
nearer  and  nearer,  rolling  on  like  hills  of  green  water,  with  a  crown  of 
foam  that  seemed  to  double  their  height.     The  Agamemnon  rose  heavily 
to  the  first,  and  then  we^it  down  quickly  into  the  deep  trough  of  the  sea, 
falling  over  as  she  did  so,  as  almost  to  capsize  completely  on  the  port 
side.     There  was  a  fearful  crashing  as  she  lay  over  this  way,  for  every 
thing  broke  adrift,  whether  secured  6r  not,  and  the  uproar  and  confusion 
were  terrific  for  a  minute ;  then  back  she  came  again  on  the  starboard 
beam  in  the  same  manner,  only  quicker,  and  still  deeper  than  before. 
Again  there  were  the  same  noise  and  crashing ;  and  the  officers  in  the 
wardroom,  who  knew  the  danger  of  the  ship,  struggled  to  their  fetft  and 
opened  the  door .  leading  to  the  main  j  deck.     H/jre,  for  an  instant,  the 
scene  almost  defies  description.     Amid  loud  shouts  and  efforts  to  save 
themselves,  a  confused  mass  of  satlorjs,  boys  and  marines,  with  deck 
buckets,  ropes,  ladders,  and  every  thing  that  could  get  loose,  and  which 
had  fallen  back  again  to  the  port  side,  yfere  being  hurled  again  \t  a  mass 
across  the  ship  to  starboard.     Dimly,  aijid  only  for  an  instant,  could  this 
be  seen,  with  groups  of  men  clinging  to  the  beanos  with  all  their  raight,^ 
with  a  mass  of  water,  which  had  forced  its  way  in  through  ports  and  n 
decks,  9urging  about  •  and  then,  with  la  tremendous  crash,  as  the  ship 
fell  still  deeper  over,  the  coals  stowed  oil  the  main  deck  broke  loose,  and, 
smashing'svery  thing  before  them,  went  Over  among  the  rest  to  leeward. 
The  coal  dust  hid  every  thing  on  the  liaain  dock  ,in  an  instant,  but  the 
crashing  could  still  be  heard  in  all  directions,  aa  the  lumps  and  sacks  of 
coal,  with  stanoheons,  ladders,  and  mc^  tins  went  leaping  about  the 
decks,  pouring  down  the  hatchways,  ^nd  crashing  through  the  glass 
skylights  into  the  engine-room  below,    i Still  it  was  not  done;  and,  surg- 

still  more. to  port,  and  the  coals  on  the; starboard  side  of  the  lower  deck 


i 


283 


THB  OCEAN  TElEOBiLpH. 


gave  way  also,  and  carried  every  thing  before  them.  Matters  now  be- 
came most  8eriou8,  for  it  was  evident  that  two  or  three  more  snch 
lurches  and  the  masts  would  go  like  reeds,  while  half  the  crew  mitht  bo 
manned  or  killed  below.  Captain  Preedy  was  already  or,  the  poop, 
with  Lieutenant  G.bson.  and  it  was,"  ^ands  wear  ship."  at  once,  w  Je 
Mr,  Brown,  the  indefatigable  engineer,  was  ^rdered  to  get  steam  ud 

^     immediately.     The  crew  gained  the  deck  with  difficulty,  and  not  till 
after  a  lapse  of  some  minutes,  for  all  the  ladders  had  been  broken  away 
and  the  men  were  grimed  with  coal  dust,  and  many  bore  still  more  seri- 
ous  marks  upon  their  faces  of  how  they  had  been  knocked  about  below 
There  y,^  some  confusion  at  first,  for  the  storm  wap  fearful  ,•  the  officers 

■   171TT  ''"'"•^;^'^'"!'^  ^  ->^  ^^-^'^^-^^  ««a.  rumibg  mountains  high, 

unltLv^'l''''/"'""'*^  '^'^'^  forwards,  so  that  the  crew  wfre 
unaWe  to  keep  theu  feet  even  for  an  instant,  and  in  some  cases  were 
tWn  across  the  decks  m  a  dreadful  manner ;  two  marines  went  with 
a  rush  head  foremost  into  the  paying-out  machine,  as  if  they  meant  to  ' 
butt  ,t  over  the  side;  yet,  sti^  to  say,  neither  the  men  nor  machine 
offered.  What  made  matterV^rse,  the  ship's  bhrge,  though  lasC 
down  to  the  deck,  had  partly  broken  loose,  and  dropping  from  sHe  ^ 
s.de  ^  the^asel  lurched,  it  threatehed  to  crush  an^'wfo  ventu:!  I 

Z  L  J      7f       f"^^'"''  '^  *^°  ^^^'  ^'''"''''  ^^  prevailed, 

3w.«YrT^  ^"^'"r  '^^  ^""""^  '^^^^  ^'"^  ^  ^^  after  those 
Who  had  been  hurt  and  about  the  number  of  whom  extravagant  ru&or, 
prevailed  among  the  men.  »«»ui.  rumora 

TLore  were^  however,  unfortunately  but  too  many.     The  marine 
Bantry  outside  the  i^ardroom  door  ou  the  main  deck  had  not  had  timj 

l^^i:  f  r  Tt""^^  ^""''^  "^^'^  ''''  ^-^-  Sometime 
ehp^  before  he  could  be  got  out,  for  one  of  the  beams  used  to  Zt 

2ni?JT-  \  }^.''!^^'^  bis  arm  very  badly,  still  lay  acrosa  the 

mn^ed  Imb,  jamming  it  in  such  a  mamier  that  it  was  found  impo«iWe 
to  move  It  without  risking  the  man's  life.    Saws,  therefore,  had^t 
Beat  for,  and  the  timber  sawn  away  before  the  poor  fellow  ciuW  bT <S 
Sft     /-'kf  ,f»ri-«o''the  lower  deck  endeavored  to  ive  him. 
jelf  bycatchmg  hold  of  what  «emed  a  ledge  in  the  planks,  but.  «Z. 
ttunately,  .t  wae  only  caused  by  the  bi  straining  In/^r 
Z^  ;«  *b«Agamemnon  righted  they  closed  again^idcr^shTw.'  t 
|JW  «»t.    One  of  the  assistant  engineers,  (Mr.  Harvey,)  was  al»    *' 
W  among  the  coab  on  the  lower  deck,  and  sustained  ^e  aemj '  ^^ 
internal  i^uries.    The  lurch  of  the  ship  w«i  calculated  at  46  dJS  - 
each  way  for  five  times  in  rapid  suooession.    The  galley  eoDDera  »Z 


-^j  ■»& .1^  .uu  «4.w^^wS^'%''^^^ 


4*^''*x* 


^"^^'^^ 


t  f 


J- 


'0^^'' 


era  now  be- 
more  anch 
V  might  be 
the  poop, 
once,  while 
''  Bteam  up 
id  not  till 
oken  away 
more  seri- 
3ut  below, 
the  officers 
tains  high, 
orew  were 
Jases  were 
went  with 
meant  to 
r  machine 
^h  lashed 
m  side  to 
ntured  to 
Jrevailed, 
lard  tack, 
rter  those 
it  ra&on 


(  ' 


iii 


I-  i 


It' 


ihl 


h  i  f 


ir'i 


,.h 


<r     ■■ 


s 


THE   UN80CK)E8SFUI^  RXrEDITION    OF    ]  "^uS. 


233 


and  scalded  bouic  of  the  poor  fellows  ■who  were  cxt^'iidoil  on  the  ilccks, 
holding  on  to  any  thing  in  reach.  These,  witli  a  di.-location,  were  the 
chief  casualties;  but  there  were  others  of  bruises  and  contusions,  more 
or  less  severe,  and  of  eourso  a  long  list  of  OHcapes  raon!  uiavvt.  llous  than 
any  injury.  One  poor  fellow  went  head  first  from  tlie  jiiain  deck  into 
the Jjold- without  being  hurt,  and  one  on  the  orlop  deck  was  ''•  chevied'" 
about  for  Home  ten  niinutesby  tlireo  largo  casks  of  oil  \sliieli  had  got 
adrift,  and  any  one  of  which  would  have  flattened  hiiu  like  a  pancake 
had  it  overtaken  him. 

As  soon  "as  we  had  gone  round  on  the  other  tack  the  Niagara  wore 
also^  and  bore  down  as  if  to  render  assistance.  She  had  witnessed  our 
dajiger,  and,  a^  we  itfterwards  learnt,  imagined  that  the  upper  deck  coil 
had  broken  Id'O.se  and  that  we  were  sinking.  Things,  however,  were  not 
80  bad  as  that,  though  theylvcre  bad  enough,  heaven  knc  h,  for  every 
thing  seemed  to  go  wrong  tlat  day.  The  \^\w.t  deck  coil  had  strained 
the  ship'to  the  very  nttermo3|  but  still  held  on  fast :  but  not  so  the  coil  in 
the  main  hold,  which  had  begmi  to  get  adrift,  and  the  top  kept  working 
and  shifting  over  from  side  to  side  as  the  ship  lurched,  till  .some  forty  or 
fifty  miles  were  jn  a  hopeless  state  of  tangle,  resembling  nothing  so 
miich  as  a  cargo  of  live  eels,  and  there  was  every  prospect  of  the  tangle 
spreading  deeper  and  deeper  as  the  bad  weather  C(  utinuod. 

Going  round  upon  the  starboard  tack  had  eased  the  ship  to  a  certain 
extent,  but  with  such  a  wind  and  such  a  sea,  loth  of  which  were  rather 
getting  worse  than  better,  .It  was  impossible  to  eifect  much  for  the  Aga- 
memnon's relief,  and  so,  by  twelve  o'clock,  she  was  rolling  almost  as  bad 
as  ever.     The  crew,  who  had  been  at  work  since  nearly  four  in  the  morn- 
ing, were  set  to  clear  up  the  decks  from  th(f  maasfts  of  coal  that  covered 
them,  and  while  this  was. going  forward  a  heavy  sea  struck  the  stern,  and 
smashed  the  lui^e  iron  guard  frame,  which  had  been  fixed  there  to  pre- 
vent the  cable  fouling  the  screw  in  paying  out.     This  gur    I,  which, 
from  its  peculiar  hooped  shape,  suspended  round  the  stern  by  chains, 
the  sailors  had  nicknamed  "  the  crinoline,"  was  about  the  most.cumber- 
Bome  and  ill-contpivcd  piece  of  mechanism  which  could  po.ssibly  ha\  e  been 
adopted.     From  the  first  hour  every  one  had  known  that  it  was  perfectly 
useless  for   the  purpose  it  was  intended  to  effect,  and,  what  was  worse 
than  useless,  that  it  was  a  source  of  positive  danger  also.     Now  that  one 
side  had  broken,  it  was  expected  every  moment  that  other  parts  would 
go,  and  the  pieces  hanging  down  either  smash  the  screw  or  foul  the 
rudder  post.      It  is  not  over  estimating  the  danger  to  say  that  had  the 
tatter  accident  occurred  in  such  a  sea,  and  with  a  vessel  so  overladen, 
Uw  iOwncoB  would-  hava-bccQ  aadly-agwist  the  Agamemnon  e.ver  jg^ 


pearing  at  the  rendezvous.     Fortunately  it  was  found  possible  to  secure 


Mr 


23i 


I  I 


-f 


It 


1^: 


|*f  '■ ' 


tn:ii 


I 

h' 


THE  OCEAN  TKLEORAPII, 


the  brnknn  frame  temporarily  ;rith  hawsm,  so  oa  to  provente^ts  droppinir 
furtl.er,  tl,oa,r|,   nothing  muld   prt-v.-nt  tho  fractured  end  fro.n  Htrikiuff 
aga,.i«t  iLr  vessel's  side  witi,  sudi  fore  as  to  Ioa<l  to  soriou.  apcruhen- 
«on.  t1.u.  it  would  e.sta.,lish  .t  dan^rep.us   loak  u„der  water      It  was 
near  tl.r.>o  o'dook  in  the  aftcrnoou  bofore  this  waa  qui-e  secured   the 
gale  .stiil  <:ont»,nin^  and  tho  noa  running  cvon  worse.     The  condition  of 
the  HK.^tH,  ton,   at  this  tin.,  wore  a  s-mre...   of  much   anxiety  both   to 
Capta.n  I'roely  and  Mr.  .Mmiarty,  the  n.aster.     The  heavy  n.lling  had 
stnuned  ,nd  slackened  fhc  ^vire  nhroads  to  sueh  an  extent  that  they  had 
^  bceotne  perfectly  uselesH  a.s  supports.     The  lower  i„ast,  bent  visibly  at 
*vory  roll,  and  oneo  or  twice  it  seemed  as  if  they  „,u.st  ro  by  the  board 
Unfortunately,  nothing  whatever  eould  be  done  to  relievo  this  strain  by 
Bonding  d,nv,.  any  of  the  upper  .«par.s,  sinee  it  was  only  Ker  masts  which 
prevented  the  «hip  rolling  still  mo-'e  and  (,uieker ;  and  so  every  man  knew 
that  It   once  they  were  earried  away  it  niight  soon  be  ail  over  with  the  v 
Hh.p,  as   rhen  .he  deek  eoil   could  not  help  going  after,  them  ;  so  there 
was  no  hH,g  for  .t  but  to  wateh  in  anxious  silence  the  wav  they  bent  and 
8tra>ned.  and  trust  in  Provideuoe  for   the   result.      About  six   in   the 
evening  it  wan  thought  better  to  wear  ship  asrain  and  stand  for  the  ren- 
dezvous under  easy  steam,  .ud  her  head  accordingly  was  put  about  and 
once  n.ore  fared  the  storm.     As  she  went  round  she  of  course  fell  into 
.the  trough  of  the  sea  again,  and  rolled  so  awfully  ,t8  to  break  her  waste 
3toam  p.pe,  hlhng  her  engine  room  with  steam  and  depriving  her  of  tho 
serv.ees  of  one  boiler  when  it  was  sorely  needed.     The  sun  s<-t  upon  a, 
w.ldand  w.cked  a  night  as  ever  taxed  the  courage  and  coolness  of  ^-^ 
?a.lor.      rhere.   re,  of  courso,  men  on  board  who  were  familiar  witj, 
gales  and  storms  m  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  thero  were  some  who,  with 

wlrT!  "r  ^t;"-^'"^\'^'''^  -'^---^  ^'H-  tre-nJous  hurricane  which 
swept  the  Bh.ek  Seaon  the  memorable  14th  of  November,  when  scores 
of  vessels  were  lost  and  seamen  perished  by  thciusandfl;  but  of  all  or. 
board   none  had  ever  sen  a  fiercer  or  n.o re  dangerous  sea  than  raged 
hat  n,g     and  the  followu.g  morning,  tossing  the  Agamemnon  from  s^e 
to  s.de  l.ke  a  mere  plaything  among  tho  waters.     The  night  was  thick 
and  very  dark,  the  low  black  clouds  almost  hemming  L  vessel  i„ 
now  an<l  then  a  fiercer  blast  than  usual  drove  the  great  maK.es  slowh 
aaule,  and  showed  the  moon,  a  dim  greasy  blotch  upon  the  sk^ .  with  the 
ocean,  white  ius  driven  snow,  boiling  and  seething  like  a  caldron.      But 
these  were^only  glnnpes,  whfeh  were  soon  lost,  and  again  it  was  all 
darkness,  through  which  the  waves,  suddenly 'upheaving,  rushed  upon 
the  sh.p  as  though  they  must  overwhelm  it,  and,  dealing  it  one  stagger-  " 
mg  blow,  went  hissing  and  surging  past  into  tho  darkness  again.     The 


.  o  fe—ft  1/.VCO  iuu„  mu  uarKuess  again.     The 

=:^  giandfettr-of^^^eim^sTrtniosf  IffstlnllsWnger^ 


V' 


THE  UNSUCOESBFrL   KifrKDITION   OF    1S58. 


235 


ts  dropping 
)in  strikiug 
a  (ippruhen- 
T.     It  was 
pcurod,  the 
ondition  of 
ty  both  to 
rolling  had 
It  thny  had 
t  visibly  at 
the  hoard. 
H  strain  by 
asts  which 
man  knew 
r  with  the  V 
;  so  there 
r'  bent  and 
iix  iu  the 
•r  the  ren- 
aboxit  and 
(;  fell  into 
her  waste 
ler  of  the 
t  upon  tin 
ncsn  of  {k  " 
liar  witi 
who,  with 
ine  which 
}n  scores 
of  all  on 
aJi  raged 
rom  side 
MS  thick 
issol  in ; 
)s  slowly 
with  the 
1.      But 
was  ail 
lid  upon 
stagger- 
n.     The 


all  tli6  maoy  forma  1»>  which  death  approaches  man,  them  is  none  so  easy 
in  fttct,  though  80  terrific  in  appelfirance,  oa  death  by  shipwreck. 

Sleeping  was  iinpossiblo  that  night  on  board  the  Agatuoiuiion.  Even 
those  in  cots  were  thrown  out,  from  their  Htrikin;;;  against  tlie  vessel's 
aide  as  she  pitched.    The  berths  of  wood  fixed  athwart.shipM  iu  the  (iabins 


and  tables  were  broken, 

uniiiiisr  uver  tho  floors 

in^o   portmantuauB, 


t  as  it  flow  I'll  off  by 
lid  port.s,  while  -the 
if  it  was  impossible 


on  tho  main  deck  had  worked  to  piecej^j 

ohostH  of  drawers  capsixcd,  and  a  littlj 

of  the  cabins  themselves,  pouring 

and  breaking  oyer  carpet  bags  of  clo 

the  scuppers  it  came  in  faster  by  the 

beams  and  knees  strained  with  a  dofpf 

they  could  hold  togother^much  longer ;  ond  on  the  whole   it  wiw  as' 

miserable  and  eveit  anxious  a  ni/!(ht  as  ever  was  passed  on  board  any 

line  of  battle  ship  in  He?  Majesty's  Hervico.     Captain  Preedy  never  left 

the  poop  all  night,  though'  it  was  hard  work   to  reuiaiii   tliere,  even 

holding  on  to  tho  poop  railjvith  both  liands.     Morning  brought  no 

chang*',  save  that  tho  storm  was  still  as  fierce  as  ever,  and,  tliongh  the 

sea  could  not  bo  higher  or  wilder,  yet  the  additional  amount  of  broken 

water  made  it  still  more  dangerous  to  the  ship. 

Very  dimly,  and  only  now  and  then  through  the  thick  scud,  the 
Niagara  coui .  be  seeij—- one  mcment  on  a  monstroua  hill  of  water  and 
the  next  quite  -ost  to  yiew,,a8  the  Agamemnon  went  down  betweisn  waves. 
But  even  these  glimpses  allowed  us  that  our  transatlantic  con.wrt  was 
plunging  heavily,  shippin/seas,  and  evidently  having  a  bad-  time  of  it, 
though  she  got  through  it  better  than  the  Agamemnon,  as  of  taairso  ^he 
could,  having  only  the  same  load,  though  2,000  tons  larger,  ffinpnly 
it  came  on  darker  and  thicker,  and  we  lost  sight  of  her  in  ui^ thick 
spray,  and  had  only  ourselves  to  look  after,  which  was  quite  enough, 
for  every  minute  made  matters  worse,  atid  the  aspect  of  affairs  began 
to  excite  most  Serious  mis"i:ving8  in  the  minds  of  those  iu  charge.  The 
Agamemnon  is  one  of  the  best  line  of  battle  ships  in  the  whole  navy, 
but  in  such  a  storm,  and  so  heavily  overladen,  what  could  she  do  but 
make  bad  weather  worse,  and  strain  and  labor  and  fall  into  the  trough, 
of  the  sea,  as  if  she  were  going  down  headforemost  ? 

Three  or  four  hours  more  and  the  vessel  had  borne  all  which  she 
could  bear  with  safety;  the  masts  were  rapidly  getting  worse,  the  deck 
coil  worked  more  and  more  with  each  tremendous  plunge,  and,  even  if 
both  these  held,  it  was  evident  that  the  ship  itself  would  soon  strain  to 
pieces  if  the  weatlfer  continued  so.  The  sea,  forcing  its  way  through 
ports  and  hawsoholes,  had  accumulated  on  tho  lower  deck  to  saeh  an  ei- 
tent  that  it  flooded  the  stokehole,  so  that  the  men  gPuld  acarccly  romain 


^ 


s,  for  gf 


at  thoir  poata. 


l  -it 


)N 


236 


THE  OCEAN   TEIJj^CiUAPH. 


If     . 


Every  thu,g  ^vent  su.nshing  and  rolling  abou ' .  Oue  pluugo  pat  aU 
tWelectnca  ...Un^nonis  hors  <Ie  con^hat  at  a  How,  and  dLLomo 
barrels  of  strong  solu..o.>  of  .ulpl.atc  of  copper,  wLi.h  went  cruising 
ab  ut,  t,,rnn>g  all  ,t  touched  to  a  ligbt  pea  green.  By  and  by  she  be 
ga..  to  «!up  .eas.  ^  ator  ean.e  down  the  ventilators  n.ar  the  funnel  into 
he  eng.ue  r  ,o,n.  Jhen  a  trcn.cndou.  sea  struck  her  forward,  <lrenchin. 
those  on  de,  k,  and  leaving  them  up  to  tl>eir  kn.es  in  water,  and  the  least 

N     a  change  took  place  e.ther  ,u  the  weather  or  the  eondi'tiou  of  the  ship. 
Of    thefarst    there    seemed    little    ehanee.      The    weather    certainly 

•stm'd  ;; ''7'^""  ^'  ^^'7'.'-  ^'-  -"•'•-y-  Iivi.l  looking  black  cloud« 
seomuJ  to  be  closing  round  the  ves-sol  faster  a.ul  faster  than  e^■er.  For 
the  rein  f  of  the  sh.p  three  courses  were  open  to  Capt.    Pre,.dv-one  to 

^         d    ,h    day  before;  another,  to  tairly  run  for  it  before  the  wind    and, 
,     n,    .h.ni  and  kst,  to  endeavor  to  lighten  the  vessel   bv  g..ttin.  some  o 
a    e  overboard     Of  course  the  latter  would  not  ha,,  been  thought 

d  nt    that  nolwng  else  would  save  the  ^hip..    Against  wearing  round 
I..^_r...  was  the  danger  of  her  again  falling  off  into  the  trough  ofl.he  sea 

the  bot,,,,^  .n  tea  mmutes,  while  to  atten,pt  running  before  .Ik,  storm 
w:th  .uch  a  sea  en  was  to  risk  her  stc.n  being  stoveln.  and  a  hu  dred 

war<J,^  t.l!  the  poor  Agamemnon  wont  under  thc*m  all  fore -er 

A  httle  after  ten  o'eku,k  on  Monday,  the  21st,  the  asp..ct  of  affairs 
wa.  so  ahmnlng  that  (/apt.  Preedy  resolved  at  all  risks  to  j[~ 

me  snip  round    on  the  nthfr  t..ni-      t*  _        i    "i  ■        '  ~ 

t  me  otncr  tack.     Ifc.was  hard   enou.'h  to  make  the 

woHs  oi  command  audible,  but  t.  execute  them  seemcl  ahnost  it^^ 

iblc      The  s  up  s  head  went  roum^enough  to  leave  her  broadside  o,.  to 

he  seas,  and    hen  for  a  t,me  it  seenmd  a.  if  nothing  c.uld  be  done.    All 

herollswluch  she   had  ever  given  on  the  previous  day  seenied  p.ere 

d    k  at  least  150  w^xe  thrown  down  and  tailing  over  from  side  to  side 
lu  heaps ;  whtle  otheti,,  holding  on  to  ropes,  swung  to  an<l  fro  with  every 
heave.      It  really  seemed  as  if  the  kst  hour  of  the  stout  ship  had  oomc 
and  ,0  th.s  m,tn,te  it,  «een.s  almost  miraculous  that  her  mas'ts  held  on 
tach  t,me  she  fell  over  her  n.ain  chains  went  <leep  under  water.     The 
lower  decks  were  Hooded,  «ia  those  above  could   hear  by  the  Arful 
craslung,  audije  amid  the  boar.se  roar  of  the  storn.,  that  the  eoalThad 
J0iJ>^Me_Ma  below,  aud'had  fa^ktnHtit.>  a...>.g}n^  rmrm;^^^^^^^^ 
carrytng  all  before  th,an.    During  these  rolls  the  mL  dck  c'od  .hiftel 


THE  UNSUOOESSFUL  EXI'EDITION   OF   ISoS. 


237 


over  to  such  a  degree  as  to  quite  envelope  four  men,  who,  sitting  on  the 
top,  were  trying  to  wedge  it  down  with  beams.     One  of  tbem  was  so  . 
much  jammed  by  the  mass  which  came  over  him,  tiiat  he  was  seriously 
contused,  and  had  to  be  removed  to  the  sick  bay,  makipf  up  the  sick 
list  to  forty-five,  of  which  ten  were  from  injuries  caused  b;^ the  rolliU 
of  the  ship,  and  very  many  of  the  rcjt  from  continual  fatigue  and  ex- 
posure during  the  gale.     Once  round  on  the  starboard  tack,  and  it  was 
seen  in  an  instant  that  the  ship  was  in  no  degree  relieved  by  the  change. 
Another  heavy  sea  struck  her  forward,  sweeping  clean  over  the  forepart 
of  the  vessel,  and  carrying  away  the  wood  work  and  platforms  which 
had  been  placed  there  round  the  machinery  for  under. running.     This 
and  a  few  more  plunges  were  quite  sufficient  to  settle  the  matter,  and  at 
last,  reluctantly,  Capt.  Preedy  succumbed  to  the  storm  he  could  neither 
conquer  nor  contend  against.     Full  steam  was  got  on,  and,  with  a  fore- 
sail and  foretopsail  to  lift  her  head,  the  AgamemnOn  ran  before  ihe 
storm,  rolling  and  tumbling  over  the  huge  waves  at  a  tremendous  pace. 
It  was  well  for  all  that  the  wind  gave  this  much  way  on  her,  or  her 
stern  would  infallibly  have  been  stove  in.     As  it  was,  a  wave  partly 
struck  *er  on  the  starboard  quarter,  smashing  the  quarter  galley  and 
wardroom  windows  oh  that  side,  and  sending  such  a  sea  into  the  ward- 
room itself,  as  literally  almost  to  wash  two  officers  off  a  sofa  on  which 
they  were  resting  on  that  side  of  the  ship.     This  was  a  kind  of  parting 
blow,  for  the  glass  began  to  rise,  and  the  storm  was  evidently  beginning 
to  moderate ;  and  though  the  sea  still  ran  as  high  as  ever,  there  was  less 
broken  water,  and  altogether,  towards  mid-day,  affairs  assumed  a  better 
and  more  cheering  aspect.     The  wardroom  that  afternoon  was  a  study 
for  an  artist,  with  its  windows  half  darkened  and  smashed,  the  sea  water 
still  slushing  about  in  odd  corners,  with  every  thing  that  was  capable  of 
being  broken  strewn  over  the  floor  in  pieces,  and  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
officers  seated  amid  the  ruins,  holding  on  to  the  deck  or  table  with  one 
hand,  while  wltti  the  other  they  contended  at  a  disadvantage  with  a 
tough  meal — the  first  which  most  had  eaten  for  twenty-four  hours< 

Throughout  the  whole  of  Monday  the  Agamemnon  ran  before  the  - 
wind,  which  moderated  so  much  that  at  four  a.m.  on  Tuesday,  her  head 
was  again  put  about,  and,  for  the  second  time  she  commenced  beating  up 
for  the  rendezvous,  then  some  two  hundred  miles  further  from  us  than 
•  when  the  gale  was  at  its  height  on  Sunday  morning.  Tuesday  was  a 
calm,  fine  day,  though  of  course  with  a  heavy  swell  on.  Wednesday  was 
also  warm,  fine,  and  calm,  and  for  the  first  time  for  a  fortnight  we  had  a 
real  summer  day,  and  the  reefs  were  shaken  out  of  the  topsails.  Imme- 
dteteiy  the  ship  began  W  nm-bcfore  the  wiad.  Oa  Monday  th©  shroud*^ 
of  the  main  and  fore  maata  were  lashed  in  such  a  way  as  to  give  some  sup- 


1    1 


i' !  i 


238 


TUB   OCEAN   TELEGRAPH. 


i  ^i 


port  to  the  masts,  and  on  Wednesday  advantage  was  taken  of  the  calm 
to  "  tauten  "  up  the  main  rigging  three  inches,  which  for  wire  rope  was 
a  great  gam.  It  was  well  that  this  was  done  in  time,  for  on  Wednesday, 
the  23d,  the  glass  again  went  down ;  it  was  the  old  song  of  wind  and  rain, 
with  heavy  squalls,  rough  sea,  and  reefed  topsails.  So  little  was  gained 
against  this  wind  that  Friday,  the  26th,  sixteen  days  after  leaving  Ply- 
mouth, stiU.found  us  some  fifty  miles  from  the  rendezvous.  So  it  waa 
determined  to  get  up  steam  and  run  down  on  it  at  once. 

As  we  approached  the  place  of  meeting,  the  Valorous  hove  in  sight 
at  noort,  and  in  the  afternoon  the  Niagara  came  in  from  the  north,  and 
.  m  the  evening  the  Gorgon  from  the  south ;  and  then,  almost  for  the  first 
time  suice  starting,  the  squadron  was  reunited  near  the  spot  where  the 
great  work  was  to  commence.     The  rendezvous  actually  agreed  upon 
was  52°  2'  N.  latitude,  33°  18'  W.  longitude,  but  the  place  where  the 
vessels  met  was  in  5P  54'  latitude,  32°  33'  longitude,  or  about  thirty  miles 
more  towards  the  English  coast  than  had  been  agreed  upon.   The  Valor- 
ous, it  appeared,  had  been  first  on  the  real  rendezvous.     The  Niagara 
was  the  next,  arriving  under  steam  tvo  days  before  the  Agamemnon 
and  the  Gorgon,  which  had  had  a  very  bad  time  of  it,  and  was  also  near 
losing  her  masts,  was  third.     The  Niagara  seemed  to  have  weathered 
the  gale  splendidly,  though,  nevertheless,  with  her,  as  with  all  other*  it 
had  been  a  hard  and  anxious  time.     She  had  lost  her  jibboom,  and  her 
spare  spars  and  buoys  for  the  cable  had  been  washed  from  her  sidls  and 
gone  no  man  knew  where.*     On  the  evening  of  Friday,  the  25th  of 
.  June,  the  four  vessels  lay  together  side  by  side,  and  there  was  such  a 
stillness  m  the  sea  and  air  as  would  have  seemed  remarkable  in  an  in- 
land  lake ;  on  the  Atlantic,  and  after  what  we  had  all  so  lately  witnessed 
it  seemed  almost  unnatural.  ' 


r 


U 


RETURN  OP  THE  SQtTADI.ON,  AND  ARRIVAL  AT  QUEENSTOWN. 

According  to  the  terms  of  the  written  agreement,  which  has  been 
given  in  the  narrative  of  the  expedition,  the  whole  fleet  were  to  return 
after  the  two  cable  ships  sliould  have  gone  over  one  hundred  miles 
towards  their  separate  destinations,  and  it  was  in  compliance  with  thin 
explicit  understanding  that  the  Niagara  proceeded  to  the  point  indicated 
therein.  We  arrived  on  the  5th  of  July,  expecting  to  find  the  Agamem- 
non had  got  in  before  us.  We  were  ooiwiderably  disappointed,  however, 
when  we  learned  there  were  as  yet  no  tidings  of  her,  although  she  had 
over  two  hundred  miles  the  start  of  us  on  her  course.     The  supposition 

,^^The r,trrj-.pQndent  of  thcl^uj'm.  Tiww.  m  iiHwwect  m  thi, rtrtwnwrt.  -Ttre  TCTW^ 
•r«  lost  her  jibboom,  but  not  her  gpare  gpani.— Aoraoa.  , , 


"i 


THE   IJNSUCCE83FTJL   KXPEDITT^N   OF   1"*.^8. 


239 


that  she  had,  not  gone  one  hundred  milcH  ffiiri  greatly  strengtlienpd  by 
her  non-appearance,  and  we  were  forced  to  the  ounclu^i.ni,  after  two  or 
three  days,  that  bhe  had  really  returned  to  the  r(>nd.;zvou>,  and  was  there  ^^ 
awaiting  ub.  .  Day  after  day  passed,  and  yet  there  was  no  Aganuunnon, 
no  Valorous.     Terrible  stories  were  ciwulated  about  t!ie  missifig  ships ; 
it  was  said  that  we  had  abandoned  them,  and  that  the  Agamemnon  had 
gone  down.     The  Loudon  Times,  with  tlte  most  indecent  haste,  accused 
US  of  circulating  repoi.d  throwing  the  discredit  of  tjic  taiiuro  on  the 
Agamemnon,  and  intimated  tha^  they  must  wait  her  arrival  before  they 
.received  reliable  intelligence.     At  last  the  Agamemnon  m;«Ae  her  ap- 
pearance, having  returned,  as  we  supposed,  to  the   rendezvous  in  mid- 
ocean.     The  reliable  intelligeuco  had  at  length  arrived,  and  it  was  a8C«»|,- 
tained  that  the  cable  had  parted  a1»u<i!twcnty  feet  from  her  Ht«rn,  and 
ihat  she  had  gone  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  sixteen  miles,  or  seven 
miles  more  than  our  ship.     The  reader  will  bo  somewhat  surprised  at 
the  course  pursued  by  her. engineer.^  in  ^lis  instance,  when  he  is  inlormed 
that  the  agreement  was  made  entirely  on   awaunt  of  her  not  havmg  a 
sufiieient  supply  of  coal.     On  leaving  Plymouth  she  had  but  450  tons, 
while  the  iNiagara  had  850,  and  although   the  reports  in  the  London 
Times  about  our   "water-logged"  appearance,  the  strong  probability  of 
our  going  ta  the  bottom,  and  the  deplorable  condition  of  .jur  ship,  were 
well  calculated  to  arouseth.i  fears  of  our  people  at  home  about  our  safety, 
we  came  out  of  one  of  the  worst  gales  that  has  ever  been  seen  in  the 
North  Atlantic,  with  no  other  damage  to  our  nofele  ship  than  the  loss 
of  part  of  her  bowsprit  and  one  of  the  wings  of  Uic  eagle  which  forma 
her  figure-head.     How  the  Agamemnon  fared  the  reader    is  already 
aware.     It  is  a  strange  fact  that  th.'  breaking  of  th<!  cab|y  at  the  stern 
of  the  Agamemnon  was  never  satisfactorily  accouii4«d  M  by  the  engi- 
neers in  charge  of  the  paying-out  machinery  on  board  that  ship. 

While  the  Telegraph  squadron  fljpre  lying  in  the  harbor  ^f  Queens- 
town,  meetings  were  held  by  the  Board  of  Directors  in  Kondon,  at 
wliich  it  was  proposed  to  abandon  the  enterprise,  and,  if  possible,  to  sell 
the  cable.  The  news  of  this  proposition  no  sooner  reached  Mr.  Field 
than  he  started  with  all  possible  dispatch  for  London.  OtHiis  arrivd 
there,  he  proceeded  at  once  to  the  office  of  the  Company,  remonstrated 
with  the  despondent,  upheld  the  wavering,  and  finally,  by  the  force  of 
his  own  unconquerable  will,  and  the  efficient  aid  of  those  who  stiU 
hoped  in  the  midst  of  defeat,  succeeded  at  last  in  obtaining  the  consent 
of  the  Company  to  make  another  attempt.  Tk^  effected,  be  returned 
to  Queenstown,  where  immediate  preparations  were  made  for  the  saUing 
of  the  Bquadron  on  the  last  and  Buoocssful  expedition. 


«» 


):■ 


THE  FINAL  EXPEDITION  OF  1858. 


7 

THE  CABLE  LAID.  -         » 

th«  ml^i"??  ^'^'f  °  ^'^'  '^  ^''^  *■«'  *^«  t^'^g^'^Ph   rendezvous  on 

A  .'  ""  %^^'^^'°^«f  the  2ad,  having  made  the  passage  in  six  days 
As  .had  been  previously  decided  that  each  ship  should' make  the  2 
and  V  T'  'T  '"'"''''  '^^  -«-•«  did  not  sail  in  company,  the  Gorgon 
and^aloroushavxng  started  some  hours  before  the  Nfagarl,  while  Z  \    i 

Ag^eno.non  d.d  not  leave  tiU  three  o'clock  next  morning.'  We  saw  none 
of  tha  8bps.  therefore,  till  after  our  arrival  at  the  rendezvous. 

»e  weather,  which  had  been,  with  one  day's  exception  verv'fine 

dep#ture  (xreat  masses  of  leaden-colored  clouds  shut  out  the  blue  sky 
and  sent  down  shower  after  sTower  of  drenching  ram.  Then  sweepS 
m  upoj,  the  land  they  descended  upon  it  in  theLm  of  ade„se"ro- 

-   fl^^^,'^^  °^  f>--°-«>7<i  co-t.     Theheavenshk>  certainly  a  most 

L  aZ  Z  '  "^^^^'^'^f  ^-'^ «"  P-«P«ot8  with  a  gloom  tha't  seemed 
to  attect  every  one  more  or  Ipoa      w»  .„„.» 

J    u«  iuu4u  or  less.     We  were  now  on  our  wav  to  makp  tho 

tt '  Were'  *r'"''\°°'  "J^^^^g^  ^^ -urse,  we  all  "hoped  for  the 
best.  Were  we  to  paSs  through  another  gale  before  we  should  bo  able 
0  make  the  sphce,  and  when  that  splice  wa«  made,  were  our  efforts  to 
end  m  another  inexplicable  break  of  continuity,  or  fiacture  of  the  cable 
These  were  questions  that  pre8«Ki  rather  heavily  upon  some  of  us  and 
converted  .  considerable  number  into  confirmed  LptioT  HowLve' 
here  we  were  out8«le  of  th«  Cove  of  Cork,  bound  for  tL  telegraph  ren  V 
d  vous,  and  determined  to  resume  the  work  with  the  same  enefgrif  not 
wx  h  the  same  buoyant  and  sanguine  feelings  with  which  we  enteSd  upon 

ioS  rf  "*  TT-    ''^'  '"^P*'^"  «""  "--«d  sceptical,  and  the 
^lsu.to.ned_tbemgelvo.with  tJ>e  id^  th»t  then,  w,h^  luxccX^ 


soooeBBystr 


:* 


THE  FINAL  EXPEnmON. 


241 


The  prospect  of  fiiio  weather,  whicli  apporred  so  I'lnomy  at  the  time 
of  OUT  departure,  grew  brighter  aw  we  increased  our  distance  fruiii  tlie 
lancT;  the,  graf  sombre-looking  clouds  began  to  clear  away,  ;uid  tho 
barometer,. which  ha^l  exhibited  a  very  decided  dowiward  tendency,  now 
began  to  rise,  and  continued  rising  till  it  had  reached  the  gratifying  alti- 
tude of  30'  40'  Tie  only  thing  of  which  we  had  any  just  cau.<e 
of  complaint  was  the  wind,  and  that  blew  from  ^the  wrong  .puirtcr  wiili 
tlie  most  disgusting  persistency.  But  it  did  yot  blow  all  the  time,  fbr 
^/e  had  some' three  or'four  days  of  the  calmest  weather,  both  before  and 
after  arrival  at  the  reudezvouB,  that  has  ever  been  seen  in  these  latitudes. 
To  say  that  it  was  calm  is  not  doing  fulljustice  to  it— there  was  not  a 
breath  in  the  ait,  and  the  waier  Vaa  as  smooth  as  that  of  a  mill-pond.  Even  - 
the  wake  of  the  ship  scarce  ruffled  its  surface,  and  the  gulls— which  have 
viwted'us  almo.st  daily,  and  to  which  our  benevolent  liberality  has  dis- 
penaed  innumerable  pieces  of  port— throw  an  almost  unbroken  shadow  " 
upon -it  as  they' stoop  in 'their  flight  td  pick  up  the  largest  and  most 
V    I     ■  tempting.     Those  lazy-looking  white  clouds  hanging  over  the  western 

horizon  have  not  changed  either  their  form  or  their  position  for  tlie  last 
two  hours,  and  that  particular  one  to  which  the  imagination  has  given  tho 
farm  of  a  human  face,  is  just  as  grotes(iue  and  as  much  like  a  human  face 
as  it  was  an  hour  ago.     The  officer  o_f  the  deck  has  been  trying  to  per- 
suade himself  that  those  fl.jccy,  vaporous  affairs  are  "  mares'  tails,"   and 
that  the  breeze,  of  which  they  are  regardedjiy  the  nautioally  learned  as 
the  sure  forerunners,  must  soon  come ;  but  vhatcver  may  be  the  rules 
in  such  cases  made  and  provided,  they  are  certainly  at  fault  this  time, 
for  there  is  no  breeze,  and  not  the  remotwt  probability  of  any.     The  long 
streamer  which  is  displayed  from,  our  mam  truck  hangslazily  agaiust  the 
mast,  and  even  the.  dog-vime,. which ,  VpU'H,irom  which  quarter  the  wind 
comes,  says  nothing  upon  the  8ub>ct.  ^Htinfe  indeed  a  dead  calm ,  and  but 
for  that  neTer-coa;sing  swell,  which  has  tightly  been  denominated  "  the 
puke  of  the  sea,"  our  vessel  would  be  as  motiAliless  as  "  a  painted  ship 
upon  a  painted  ocean."     Tho  smoke  which  <^ome^,  from  ^our  engina 
fires  through  the  huge  chimneys  rises  like  piUai^nd  spreads  oUt  i|U 
broad  canopy  over  the  masts.     "  There  comes  a  breeie  dead  aheaB,"  m& 
one  of  the  sailore,  pointing  t»*tl>e  direction  of  the  bow,4nd  the  .cldW 
and  distinctly  defined  blue'line  which  marks  the  horizon  seemed  to  indi- 
cate the  appeanmce  of  wind  in  that  quarter ;  but  an  Wur  has  pagSed  since 
then,  and  f<ill  the  dog-vane  remains  unmoved,  the  streamer  Aangs  idly 
agiinst  the  mast,  and  the  canopy  of  smoke  is  becomin^enser.     The 
clouds  have  changed,  it  is  true,  but  no  wind  will  oome  fjjiftn  them.     The 

4t4im«(,.  f,.nn  han  brtun  nonverted  into  the  head ^feiL  eagle,  and  thoge 

brinks  of  white  silver  cumuli  are  very  slowly  <  hajlging  their  appearance; 

16  .  •  _       /i 

T  -  • 


f 


■,'     t. 


^ 


•X 


•-..J" 


.       f 


4^ 


(r  I,, 


242 


!  THE 


EAN   TELEOBAPH, 


V 


^r 


^ 


80  thoroughly  hs^  the  calm  a8S|eted  evQTJHhu0  and  Sferybody 
abou^tlie  vessel,  as  to  throw  '^#!^t  of  drt|iMs0^epo8e,#^r  all 
inipsssible  to  ^t  up  a  convtsraalifjo'sji  tbo  i}i^«^j||t|fre8ting;^t'^c,  andjo'i 
1p| would  imagine  that  our  ship,  ha||^<j«iied  to  ba"ja?'jS^rt  cjif  the  great  .%|ld 
m  which  she  mpved,  and  thalt4iet  giving  frcighl  hwk  n(jii|(|ng',irt^j^mmon 
ith  there3t  ot*-^|jn!iuiUybut^belongb(|to  thoun'«^''er»ii9||ibf<i&*fei^^ 
d.  .,' Aft^v^  tt'^  i^we  very  ocean,  aud  we  are  withi|  a&%ilei^"  * 
^^^H^^  ^^^^W^"  S'^^^  ^^^t,  upoa  usj  and  t^sc^lftigft  a^^l' 
■?.ft^^&^^P^^jg|||^  iifeftpti  (fltt-  eight  or  nine  days,     tliwaeftled, 
> '<^ry.fM|j'x;a^MyBj^tt|ji^eekn  for  four  days,  which  are  closed  by 
, '*^Mv^.M'mi^^^^MmeT  seen  under >a  tropical  sky.^  The,  whole 

'    ^'^!^^^*^*^i^^^t^*  ^^^  8^°""  f™«i  the  descen^fbg  suDj  and 

a*mjt*^ffe^iMW)Uow'thf  fe<?rizon  it  tuVns  to"  a  deep  crimsW;  which  is 
r^^ft^'fft  fee  Uoniffled  ocean  until  there  appears  tp  be  but^  sky,  and 
.'  *^°  %S?  ^^*  sfepended  in  space.  The  silver  gray  of  evei^  brings 
"**  >it  *^*'°  iftho  world ;  the  golden  glow  and  th»  deep  cri^n  have 
disa^^^red,  but  tha  pleasant  twilight  remains,  and  will  continui  with  us 
^°  '°'^gM>"  leave  but  a.small  portion  of  the  twenty-four,  hours  |^  the 

;  "ivglit.    -^  fact  the  Buraiuei'  nights  in  these  high  latitudes  are  hajdly  en- 

:  |..litled  to  the  name,  and  what  between  the  long  twilight  and  ea%  day- 

•    ^'ea!f ,  have  scarcely  time  eflough  to  get  rightly  dark. 

We  have  now  befcn  five  (3a.ys  out,  an^  if  we  jiave  only  ordinary  luck  , 

>  we'  will  certainly  be  at  or  near  the  precise  point,  which  is  marked  by  a 
dot  on  the  chart  of  the  North  Atlantic,, about  half  ^a,j  between  Ireland 
and  Newfoundland.     To-morroW  evenipg,  Friday  the  23d,  is  fixed  upon 
as  the  time  of  bur  arrival,  an(J  everybody  is  icJulging  in  speculations  as 
to  the  Agamemnoii  being  there  before  us.    In  thi.s  all-absorbing  question 
every  thing  else  seems  to.be  forgotten.     Y{o  no  longer  hear  of  the  pros- 
%:f  J^^^  °^  *'^^  heroes  and  heroines  of  the  romances  and  novels  which  have 
,,,,'> furnished  topics  for  anim&ted  discussion  for  some  days  jpast,  and  no  one 
feeems  to  care  whether  the  hard-hearted  father  has  or  has  not  been  struck 
S^ith  remorge,  and  consented  to  make  his  lovely  and  amiabk  daughter 
superlatively  happy  by  marrying  the  man  of  her  choice. 
designs  of  the  schemer  who  has  been  baffled  by  tjie  superior 
the  lover  (lovers  are  always  a  very  superior  cIabs  of  jnen,  alti 
orally  poor),  have  ea^d  that  condemnation  and 
Virtilous  and  high-rt(H^: readers  are  supposed,  to  p 
aoters,  and  even  hlyBHie  fate  is  hwdly  thought  of 
tion  which  Agitates  tBFmfnds  of  all  on  board  our  ship. 
We  are  about  one  hundred  add  thirty  miles  from  th 
=T*  <<li5[ntW  we  are  now  going^we^E$alt^  aTonTp^oit  to^m 


'?fl 


V 


d 

tl 

*  .b 
« 
13 
T 

g 

Vi 

V 
0 
8 
S 
D 


V. 


■.-»"' 


pic,  andyo'J 
great  .iMld 

ipS3fe,^mmon  _ 

e  closed  by 
The,  whole 
Qg  snuy  and 
tt^TrbicIi  is 
ip  sky,  aud 
l^ljK  brings 
in^n  have 
iiut)  .with  us 
ars  1^  the 
I  hajdly  en- 
ear^  day- 

linary  luck  , 
arked  by  a 
Ben  Ireland 
fixed  upon 
;uiatioD8  as 
3g  quQ^tion 
if  the  pros- 
wrhich  have 
wd  no  one 
•een  Btraok 
t  daughter 
dark 
.f 
to- 
all 
ohar- 
qtws- 


and 


THE  fin.Vl  KxviinrnoN.  ^  213 

■  *so  tFiat  we  may  commence  the  ^or£  of  layiug  the  cable  the  following 
||i^>ruiDg  by  daybreak.      '  i  ,■     ' 

f  Th'ruughout  the  whole  of  Friday  every  one  was  on  Llio  lookout  fur 
Jhc  Agamemnon:  but  the  best  telescope  on  hoard  fuiled  to  diseovit*  that 
sliip,  aud  BX)  wc  lay  aa  near  thatj  imaginary  point  ciiUed  thflt^ieiuiuzvous, 
as  the  wind  aud  surface  current  would  permit.  Saturday  uioniing 
arrived,  but  with  it  jno  Aganjeranon,  and  by  seven  o'clock,  Saturday 
evening,  we  again  made  the  Jreudezvous,  having  drifted  coii.sidcrahly 
during  Friday  mght.  To  be  brief,  we  had  no  better  success  uow  than 
the  day  before ;  and  as  ftian  is  a  somewhat  restless  auiiual,  we  iiocanio 
both  restless  and  impatient  I  in  our  desire  to  begin  the  work.  The" 
weather,  which  cannot  be  too  jliighly  oulogizml,  was  magnificent  for  cable 
liiying,  aud  the  barometer  gave  the>stronge«t  aissurance  of  its  contiCuance. 
Had  she  arrived  on  Sundafy  it  would  ha^e  been  useless,  as  the  reli- 
gious scruples  of  our  captaih  interpose  an  insuperjible  obstacle;  and  so 
we  must  patiently  wait  till/  jMonday,  the  2GtIi.  It  was,  hpwever,  Smne- 
what  cdnsoling  to  learn  thht  the  Vahirous  had  ari^ived  on  the  morning 
of  the  25th,  although  she  h/id  neither  seen  nor  hear^.gf  the  long  expected 
ship.  She  was,  first  seen/  at  si3^  o'clock,  hut  as  Wilrcamo  along  under 
sail  alone,  she  did  not  approach  near  cnou^jjli  to  exchange  signals  till 

nine.  [  ' 

"I  hope  you  are  alFw  11,''  was  the  purport  of  the  signal  in^do  by 

our  ship.        '  \  I  •  • 

■  ■  "  Very  well,  I  thank  you,"  was  the  reply. 
-"  Have  you  seen  t^p   AfiJftpienuiqy  ? "    asked  the  captain  of  the 
Valorous.   '  .       / 

"  No,"  replied  Captain  Hudson;  and  then  asked  in  return  if  ho  had 
seen  the  fJorgon,  but  to  this  he  received  a  negative  response. 

And  aft.er  this  brief  interview  and  still  more  laconic  conversation,  , 
the  two  ships  separated.  Monday  afternoon,  July  '2G,  the  Valorous  *afl 
in  sight,  and  tho'sea  was  aa  calm  as  we  had  yet  observed  it — so  Cahn,  to 
use  the  words  of  omQ£  i%.oreW,  i||j|p'^oul4  bo  mere  child's  play  to 
lay  tlie  cable  \]^|fe  Wii^^ircilfn^ces.'^'^bout  ten  o'o^ck  CapUin 
Aldham  and,oiMWliiB  lieutenants  p^id  u^  ftije:)dly  visit,  and  remained 
about  an  K^V.  The  27th"  was,  bo  for  as' the  .vcjither  was  regarded,  a 
jwrfect  coi^rpart  of  the  l6ti  This  day  wo  wef^avored  with  another 
arrival,  though  not  that  we  h^  first  e»pectSd.  %ie  Goi'^oji  w^  dfr»- 
Mwicd  about  tw6  o'clock  m  thPifternoon  coming.from  the  eaiitward,  and 
Ttwas  but  a  few  minutes  after  five  whan  she  came  iip.  Now  *!  two  ships 
can  hardly- come  togatlter  on  thojiigh  Wi  Itthout  havi%8om^thiug  to 


V 


^' 


"b¥y  to  eioToiBer,  it  is  not  to  be  expected  tfiatTfiemgaTa  and^eofguB 
would  pasa  each  otlW|  without  indulging  in  som^remarkB.  ^nd  so. 


N. 


■^ 


,244 


THE   OOKAN   TELLGRAPIT. 


•vv^ 


■  r 


^  J.  .  .  1 


rf 


It  , 


Captain  IluiJson  ajid  CapUin  Daymau  had  the  following  brinf  but  pithy 
dialo^'ue  ■^' 

Captain  II. — I  hope  you  are  all  woll  on  board  ? 
Captain  I>. — All  i^-ell,  thank  you — hope  you  arc  the  fiaino  ? 
>    C.ijitaiu  11.— (Nodding  an  affirniativo,  and  finishing  the  rest  of  the 
hijnttiice  by  word  of  mouth) — Thank  you. 

Captains  II.  and  D.  (together)— Have  you  Been  the  Agamemnon? 
A  pause,  and  the  (juestion  ih  repeated  by  Captain  Hudson  tilcijc. 
Captain  D. — No,  not  since  we  parted.     Have  you  any  coal  to  sipare  ? 
We  have  had  head  winds  all  the  way  out. 

Captain  H.— None  at  pll.  We  have  also  had  head  wind.^i^..  I  think 
the  Agamemnon  could  give  yau  some,  a.s  she  can't  Lave  burned  much 
sinec  she  left.- 

Thus  ended  the  conversation,  and  the  Gorgon  passed  on  to  pay  her  - 
respectt  to  the  Valorous,  which  wa.s  about  two  miles  off  our  port  (j[uar(t'r. 
Towards  evening  we  observed  both  vessels  had  hoisted  their  ensigns, 
but  the  weather  had  become  overcast  and  we  could  not  discern  any  other 

,  ship.  We  also  di.splayed  ours,  however,  so  that  if  it  shduUl  turn  out  to 
be  the  Agamemnon  she  might  be  fully  aware  of  our  arrival.  We  felt 
confident  that  she  had  been  soon  by  the  Gorgon  and  Valoc-wTand  that 
she  would  make  h«j  appearance  next  morning  and  answer  for  herself 
Five  days  before  Wf^had  4uadc  the  rendezvous",  and  we  were  just  HcKm- 
ning  to  get  tired  of  waiting;  and  during  that  time  wliat  splendid^^ 
via  have  had — days. which  the  Atlantic  Telegraph  Company  could  not 
purchase  at  ten  thousand  dollars  apiece  from  that  inexorable  myth  the 
Clerk  of  die  Weather!  However,  according, to  Lieut,  Maury,  we  can 
afford  to  be  a  little  prodigal  jthis  niotjth.  and  if  we  do  los-e  a  few  days, 
why,  after  all^it  can  hardly  be  considered  ajoss  when  we  come  to  reflect 
that  July  and  August  are  the  two  best  months  in  the  year  for  cable  lay- 

•in^.  We  ar^e  certainly  entitled  to  some  consideration  after  the  gale 
through  which  we  padccd  last  iflonth— a  month  we  were  led  to  believe 
was  the  mildest  in  the  whole  year. 

On  board  of  our  ship  every  precaution  has  been  taken  to  ensure  succesW 
The  machinery  has  been  put'  in  proper  running  order,  and  the  watclifs 
are  all  made  out  for  the  different  departments.  The  captain  and  the 
li.'st  lieutenant,  Mr.  North,  keep  watch  and  watch,  that  ^i8,,thcy  divide 
the  day  fnto  alternate  watches  of  four  hour^  each,  with  the  usual  intar-  ' 
position  of.  "  dog  watches,"'  between  four  and  eight  in  the  afternoon. 
Mr.'  North,  it  may  be  remembered,  ^tps  also  first  lieutenant  of  the  Niagara 
last  year,  and  has  taken  the  most  a«tive  interest  in  the  enterprise.     The 

-tlutywhicb%epelfcnfiea^m  connection  1^^ 

tirely  voluntary  one,  as,  according  to  the  rulla  of  the  navy,  ho  is  not 


if  but  pithy 


rest  of  the 

uomnon  ? 

n  tilcijc. 
il  to  spare  ? 

.'^•I  I  tliiuk 
:mcd  umcl) 

to  pay  laer  ■ 
irt  (quarter. 
;ir  ensigns, 
II  any  otiier 
turn  out  to 
.     We  felt 
SflinJ  that 
for  herself, 
just  %K'ti- 
undid  ^S^ 
could  not 
myth  the 
ry,  we  can 
few  days, 
c  to  reflect 
■  cable  lay- 
•  the  gale 
to  believe 

re  siiecosiBf 
le  watcl»{!S 
1  and  the 
■icy  divide 
lual  intar- 
afternoon, 
e  Niagara 
ise.     The-" 


ho  is  not 


THK  FINAL  EXPEDITION. 


245 


considered  a  watch  o^cgr,  and  his -services  ore  therefore  given  freely, 
and  not  in  compliajjoe  with  any  obligations  arising. from  his  official 
position. 

All  we  want  now  is  a  continuance  of  the  fine  weather  wo  have  had 
nearly  the  whole  of  this  month,  to  lay  the  cable,  for  we  still  feel  coH- 
vinced  of  the  practicability  of  the  worky  despite  the  unexplained  break 
of  continuity  and  fracture  of  the  wire. 

CEREMONY  OF   LATINO   THE  CABLE, 

riBST  DAT— IDLT  28. 

We  were  right  in  our  surmizes  that  tlSere  must  have  been  some  rea- 
sons for  the  Valorous  and  Gorgon  displaying  their  flags,  and  our  hopes 
that  the  Agamemnon  had  at  last  made  her  appearance,  though  invisible 
to  us  in  consequence  of  the  fog  prevailing  at  the  time,  were^  now  fully 
realized.  About  five  o'clock  this  morning  the  mist  began  to  clear  away; 
and  some  lea  or  fifteen  minutes  after,  our  sister  ship  could  be  distinctly^ . 
seen  between  two  and  three  miles  off  our  port  quarter.  Mr.  Field  had 
offered  a  reward  to  t^e  man  v^ho  would  first  discover  her,  an^as  may  be 
supposed  the  crew  were  t;,..roughly  wide  awake,  and  on  the  lookout  for 
the  expected  vcsse^.  Two  or  three  days  befofe  she  came  there  were  re- 
ports innumerable  as  to  her  having  been  seen,  and  at  almost  ev6ry  point 
"  of  the  compass.  The  smallest  speck  of  a  cloud,  barely  visible  through 
the  best  telescope  on  board,  was  converted  into  smoke  by  those  who 
were  determined  to  see  her,  even  if  she  were  a  hundrdd  miles  away. 
"  That  certainly  must  be  her."  said  one  of  the  quartermasters,  pointing 
at  some  imaginary  object  with  the  telescope,  which  he  had  just  taken 
from  his  eye.    "  Yes,  that's  her,  and  no  mistake  this  time." 

"Where?"  asked  a  dozen  anxious  querists  all  at  once,  and  all  as 
eagerly  stretching  out  their  hands  for  the  telescope. 

,  "  There,  there  !  "  he  replied,  looking  towards  the  cloudless  horizon— 
"  there  !  don't  you  see  it,  right  there  on  the  starboard  bow,  about  three 

points?"  •  ■  ,       c      ' 

The  man  who  had  been  most  fortunate  in  securing  the  glass  first, 

.  took  a  l&ng  observation  at  the  point  thus  indicat«d,  and  after  scanning 

it  three  or  four  times,  announced  in  a  tone  of  di^ust  that  there  was  no 

smoklr^nd  that  it  ^^UJape  Flya^vay"— a  nautical  expression,  which, 

literally  translated,  jlaiiss  "  nothing." 

The  more  enel^ffl''aild  enterprising  would  occasionally  run  up  to 

gp  head  of  the  topgallntrmasts,  and  take  a  view  of  the  horizon  from 

that  elevation,  but  with  no  -better  success  than  those  wiw),  of  a  less  as- 
:=^iring  mind,  femamea  on  the^dcck,  orkept  Jseir_  JgokontJ-om^^^^^ 

castle  or  poop.     n|^  was  greater  interest  manifested  in  any  Bhip  Uian 


4 


tH'- 


i. 


lit. 


% 


246 


OOEAK  TKLEORAFn. 


the  proffered^ reward  created  in  that  vessel;  and  yet  it  was  nbt  the 
amount"  liut  rather  the  distinction  which  the  discovery  would  confer 
upon  the  man  by  whom  it  should  be  a|d*||^*kthore  was  the  excite- 
ment of  the  thing  itself,  and  that  fJijPwPW^ffici^ift  to  ;^nse  the 
feelJfcga  of  thejpoat  indifferent.  Only  those  whe  have  been  at  sea  for 
any  leagth  of  time  -an  fully  appreciate  the  value  of  this  word,  or  how 
l^^ft  takes  to  get  up  an  excitement  at  sea,  where  life  is  but  one  con-  • 
'"'^^round  of  monotonous  incidents  which  follow  each  other  in  na  regu  * 
Iftr^Mcesslon  as  the  hourti  on  a  dial.  The  "  reward,"  therefore,  grew 
I'tO  iRt  the  magnitude  of  an  important  question,  and  with  the  addition 
some  whales,  which  ocoasionally^induiged  in  spouting,  served  to  make 
|h©  time  pass  less  heavily  on  our  hands.        ' 

The  arrival  of  |!he  Agamemnon  overtopped  all  other  subjects,  and 
knocked  inl#ia  cocl^d  hat  the  various  opinions  which  had  been,circu-  ' 
lated  in  rcgj^rd  to  her  engines  having  brijccn  down.     "  There  she  is,  sir  " 
said  the  delighted  sailor  to  the  officer  of  the  deck,  when  ho  observedjife^ 
heavy-looking  hull  slowly  emerging  from  the  mist  which  still  hung  o^ 
her  mai>t8  li^  a  veil.     "  There  she  is,  sir,  on  our  port  quarter."    And 
#ere  she  cer^ii^ly  was— no  mistake  this  time— there  were  the  two  white 
streaks,  but  stilf^re  conclusive  than  this— there  was  the  cable-wheel 
over  her  stem,  and  there  was  the  other  over  her  bow.     It  was  tho  Aga- 
lemnbn,  ten  days' out  from  C()»fc  having  made  the  rendezvous  t'he"-4 
eveningbofore,  as  we«sub8equ#tlyfeimed.  ^,    *    '       . 

As  has  been  stated,  she  was  between  two  and  tl*e  miles  off  our  port     ' 
quarter  ^^enfli^st^iiervc^^d  as  tWd  was  no  ■indication  of  cither 
smoke  or  steanL  weWclud^that  she  had  been^Baving  her  coaj^nd 
had  sailed  the  gk^i-  part,  if  not  the  whole,  of  the  way.    This^we  after- 
wards found  to  be  ThcQiflMii  as  sie  had  consumed  twjtebjmdred  of  the 


pve  hundred  tor 


w 


cich  she  star 


had 


ing  tfit)  pas- 


f 


«ige  to  mid-ocean  met  with  head  wiftd^  - 'She^Jwd  also  a  rqi^tion,,^ 

on  a  small  scale,  of  the  bad  weather  we  ^M^ed'  during  the  raolfll? 

•  of  June,  but  as  it  lasted  .ofply  "twenWj|our'H^rs,  and  as  the  wind  did  not 

xfj-eshen  into  a  gale,  there  was  no  gMkfor  alarm.*    One  sea,  however, 

,    made  ijs  way  into  the  ward-roo^yR  )^^  gome  of  th«  bulkheads. 

^ut  «*if  the  bead  w?&ds*.8he  wo««  have  arrived  two  or  three  days 

sootfer,  and  thus  given  us  the  advanllige  of  the  fine  weather  with  whicli 

we  have  been  so  wonderfully  favore4  since  we  left  Queenstown,  and,  in 

fact,  from  tile  time  the  squadron  left  mid-ocean  in  June,  up  to  the  date 

of  our  re-appearance  on  the  rendezvous  this  month.     Hero  we  are  at 

(last,  however,  ready  to  commence  operations  once  more,  and  determined 

»f  ?^ccess^bejgo88i ble^jl  will  make  every  effort  tn  spcwre  and  descr ve4t^ 


WEatcver  other  charges  may  be  peferred  against  the  enterprise  by  the 


T^ 


X 


I      : 


.^ 


THE   nUKh   KXI'KIiVnON. 


247 


was  nbt  th6 
rould  confer 
,s  tho  exoite- 
to  apinsc  tho 
in  at  eea  for 
rord,  or  bow 
but  one  oo^r 
r  in  na  regu- 
ireforc,  grew 
the  addition 
Ted  to  make 

ubjecta.  and 
been,  circu- 
aho  is,  sir  J" 
)bserTedjHB» 
I  hung  over 
•ter."  And 
16  two  white 
cabl(!-wheel 
ifl  tho  Ajra- 
lezvous  the 

off  our  port 
)n  of  cither 
sr  coal/ind 
ii8  we  after- 
ired  of  the 
5  tfit)  pas- 
ration  ,f' 
the  inoi|fir 
ind  did  nbt 
a,  however, 
bulkheads, 
three  days 
«th  whicli 
ivn,  and,  in 
to  the  date 
we  are  at 
determined 

rise  bj  the 


^ 


i^- 


dissali.-fied,  it  r«annot  \e  said  that  those  who  aiv  >;ii^tig«d  in  it  li;ivc  shown 
unyiwiint  of  perBcveruucc  or  energy.  Altliougli  they  have  met  with  f.iilure 
after  fiiilnro,  and  reverses  tlwit  would  have  .llscmragr,!  ahr,.isi  any  ullicr 
body  of-niien,  they  have  exhibited  a  determiiiuti' ii  tliat  is  .l.'sci\  ing  of 
all  praise,  and  a  l!j:ri)cfulnesa  that  n<i  diwapti  r^^  .'oulil  --ul-due.     -I'l.  ;.ara- 

.^f^^iona  are  now  being  made  to' resume  tlie  work,  and  although  th>  r,  are 
inany  who  think  it  a  useless  exponditnro  of  iiiiic  :uid  nujiey.  yet  there 

■  are  others  who  are  gMiguiue  as  to  tho  IvsuU.  ■  There  is  no  wuul  of 
'energy  ortainly  among  our  lufb,  and  if jou  o>nM  <inly  witness  thn^ 


hearty  assent  tlmt  is  given  to  th'5  following  inscrijilioii  wlii'h  lias  heeu 
miWo  in  chalk  on  the  outside  of  om  of  the  cable  cl'relc.s^  sou  would  gay 
thcr^is  no  want  of  enthusiasm  in  thcni :  .  - 

"  The  wire  wSI  be  laid,  and  we  will  go  to  New. York." 
'     Aboiit  half^ast  nine  o'clock  the  Agamemnon,  having  got  up  .M'eam, 
was  observed  slowly  upproaohing  uh,  and  in  somewhat  less  than  'au  hour 
pr  she  crossed  our  boW,  previous  to  taking  her  position  on  our  .^tcrn, 
to  l-c'roadyfor  »J.licing.     All  the  prdiniinary  prcpi.raVio)..  had 
nadc  on  board  tho  Niagara,  and  every  thing  was  in  readiness  foV 
thAqminoncemdnt  of  tlio  work  wi  far  ud  she  was  concerned.     The  men 
wcro^^hcir  po.st8  by  the  machinery,  the  stoppers  were  all  arranged, 
the  ^^-ians  were  on  watch  in  tGTHong  vacant  office,  the  tar-tubs 
were  put  in  tttfc  proper  plac<!s,  the  FiTapers  adjusted,  and  nothing  was 
left   V  idoDO  IB  human  foresight  could  do.      Within   the   boundaries 
of  the  rope  that  enclosed   the  machine,  none  but  the  privileged  few 
were  allowed  to  enter,  and  if  any  one  did  so,  through  ignornnco,  the  in- 
scription which  wa5  posted  conspicuously  in  front,  and   which  reads  as 
follows,  warneciihim  against  further  intrusion  : 
"  No  one  here  except  the  engineer's  watch.'' 

This  wa^^  certainly  laconic,  but  if  it  was  not  sufficient  for  the  purpose 
the  marine.^ho  stood' close  by  informed  him  that  he  nmst  leave.     Thi;^ 
was  not  all,,  however,  for   if,  under    the  ^impression  that   he  was   a 
liberty  lo  talk  to  the  operator  in  charge  of  the  dynamometer,  lie  was 
Boon  made  ^^^rp  of  the  absurdity  of  such  an  idea  by  another  notice,  to 
the  effect  that  no  conversation  was  allowed  with  that  particular  individ- 
ual     Tkeij,  in  ^aitiun  to  all  this,  ihe  officer  iu  charge  of  the  platform, 
which  wa^  raised  above  two  of  the  coils  to  facilitate  the  paying  out  of 
the  cable,  took  care  that  none  but  those  fully  authorized  should  go  up 
there.     The  curious  were  thus  excluded  from  every  point  where  they 
might  interfere  with  the  operations  of  tho.e  on  watt-h,  but  still  they  had 
ample  opportunities  to  witness  all  that  w.s  going  on,  and  outside  of  the 
bounds  they  eppt^nlv  indnlged^themaiikej^ioAhc  ulinost.     There  seemed 


to  bo  a  fascination  for  them  in  every  thiLg  connected  with  tie  process^ 


248 


Tlir.   OCKAN   TKtEOBAPH. 


hr  li'^ 


ir  ■■ 


i 


jmyiug  out.  but,  more  partloularly  in  the  work  of  uncoiling  tho  cable. 
The  outMi]<!  of  thu  circlo  wuh  crowJi.d  with  Hpcotiitora,  who  watched  in 
silence  the  lon^   black  line  as  it  utiwouikI  itself  ajid   pn.sscl  (,vor  the 
iim..hiuury  nti  its  way  into  the  great,  ocean  depths.     Then'   tliey  stood, 
hour  after  hour,  looking.at  tJic  removal  of  one  flake  after  another,  u.s  if  it 
were  something  new,  and  each  mile  sery-d  but  to  increase  the  attraction. 
The   Agamemnon  ha.s    now    (aken    her    iio.sitiori    about  a  hundred 
tuthom.s  from  tho  stern  of  the  Niagara,  and  the  hawser  has   i)een  passed 
btitween  tho  two  ships  previou.s  to  making  the  splice.     Before  the  ooih- 
niencemcnt  of  operations,  however,  Oaptai  is  Preedy  and  Aldham  came 
on  l..Mr,l  of  our  ship,  and  Mr.  Field  and  ona  of  the  electricians  visited 
the  A^^amemnon  to  make  farther  arrangements  in  regard  to   tho  work  ''  , 
iH^fore  uh      After  the  neoessjary  time  these  are  msdc,  and  it  is  concluded 
tliat  if  the  cable  should  be  broken  after  150  miles  shall   have  been,  paid  . 
out  from  each  ship,  both  ves.*is  shall  at  once  proceed  to  Qnoerjstown, 
there  to  await  onlors  from  tho  company  regarding  the  final  disposal  and 
stowage  nf  the   cable.     The  captains  have  returned  to  their  ships,  the' 
splice  Is  made,  and  the  work  of  paying  out  proceeds,  while  the  two  sJiips       l 
wove  so  slowly  through  the  water  that  thmr  motion  is  hardly  peroepti- ' 
ble.     The  rate  of  thfl  cable  is  certainly  muchfa-stcr  than  that  of  cither' 
of  the  ^-cssel..,  for  tho  siu:p]e  reason  tluit  it'  has  to  deseend  to  a  depth  - 
of  about  two  miles,  and  it.will  take  a  considerable    time  to  do  that 
The  anmmneement  comes  from  the  electricians  office  soon  after  tfm 
splice  has  biHJu  lowered,  that  the  continuity  ig  perfect,  and  with  thi'< 
assurance  t)ie  engineers  go  on  more  boldly  with'  tlie  work.     In  fact,  the 
engineers  may  be  said  to  bo  under  the  control  of  the  electtioians ;  for  if 
they  report  any  thing  wrong  with  the  cable  they  are  brought  to  a' stand, 
until  they  are  allowed  t<.  go  on  with  their  operations  by  the  announce- 
ment that  the  insulation  is  perfect  and  the  contirmity  is  all  right.     The 
suitors,  who  are  somewhat  in  the  dark  as  to  the  scientifiedefinitionof  the 
term,  are  generally  supposed'  to  have  a  particular  animosity  to  it,  under  th  > 
belief  that  it  is  it  which  causes  all  the  difficultjf-.    "  Darn  the  continuity," 
said  an  old  sailor,  at  the  end  of  a  scientific  but  rather  foggy  discussion 
which  a  nnmber  of  his  messmates  had  on  the  subject—"  Darn  the  conti- 
nuity ;  I  wish  they  would  get  rid  of  it  altogether.     It  haK  caused  a  darned 
sight  more  trouble  than  the  hull  thing  is  worth.     I  say  they  ought  to  do 
without  it,  and  let  it  go.     I  believe  they'd  get  the  cable  do^^n   if  they 
didn't  ^j  any  attention  to  it.     You  see,"  he  went  on,  "  I  was  on  tho 
laiJt  exhibition  "  (expedition  he  meant,  but  it  was  all  the  same— his  mess- 
mates did  not  misapprchead  his  meaning),  "  and  I  thought  I'd  never 
hoar  the  end  of  it.     ""' 


■vrlien~wc  wcre"irut  last 


They  were  always  talking  about  it,  and  one  night, 
styeafjlrwas  gone  ir^:  two  liour.s,  aiad  wc  "thougiit 


c*' 


fw.ji 


^ 


TUK   KIS.Vt,    KXl'KninON. 


249 


that  -was  Uh'  end  of  the  atfair,  and  wo  would  ruvt-r  luar  '.f  it  agiiin. 
But  it  <;iiiiit  back,  and  hoou  after  the  cabU-  Ku.-^tod  Now.  I  t(  11  you 
what  men;  I'll  never  forget  the  nigl.t.  I  tojl  ye  ;  w>-  all  foil  w  l.iul  lont 
our  bt-Bt  friend,  and  I  never  hoard  the  word  eontii.uity  or  rmitlguHy 
uicntinned  but  I  wasalway^  afraid  something  wan goin-  I ;  liap;»  n.     Ami 

that'Hafact." 

This  wan  conclusive  on  the^ininds  of  the  majority  uf  hi,h.;irer.s  ;  but 
a  number  we're  of  oiiiuion  that  it  was  all  right,  (ind,  at  tl,c  r.-k  of  being      • 
considered  hunibugV  asserted  their  belief  that  wLntc-vcr  might  be  said 
against  the  continuity  they  coulda  t  do  without  it,  and  thiit   hcCiiu-^c  it 
was  gone  all  thejrouble  had  occurred. 

The  work  of  paying  out  the   cable  was  coniiiionci'd  at  f>nc   o'clock. 
The   8p«!ed  of  the  vessel   wan  gradually  iucrcased   at'tor  huiVn-ient   bad 
been  lowered  over  the  stcriv  to  r'^aeh  tlie  bottom,  and  l.y  two  o'clock  five 
miles  had  left  the  shrp.  and  Hhe   had  gon^  two  milc.^  from  th.;   starting 
point.     The  observation  taken  by  Iho  Agamemnon  and  Niagara  whowed 
the  positicm  of  both  ships,  as  follows:  Lat:  52''  O'.V,  loi>g  .I'J.    "JH'-     To 
accomplisb  the  work,  the  former  has  eleven  hundred  nautical  milcH,  and 
three  hundred  tons , of  coal ; -while  the  latter  had  th*;  eami^  amount  of 
cable  atid  five  hundred  tons  of  coal.     This  will  give  our  ..hip  from  ten 
to  fifteen  dayt-' steaming;  while  the  Agamemnon   nas  eutlj.ieut  for  ten 
'days,  should  she  burn  at  the  rate  of  thirty  tons  ^er  day.     IJut,  if  we 
should  find  that  we  have'not  enough  to  reach  the  land  with,  we  will,  if 
ueeesi^iirv,  burn  the  spare  spars;  and  should  we  be  st.li  furtb.^r  pr.'ssed, 
'    we  will  take  down  wen  the  bulkheads  for  fuel.     It  is  not  very  probable, 
however,  that  we  shall  be  reduced  to  such  straits.     Mr.  Folhuisbee,  our 
chief 'engineer,  assures  us  liiat  we  wilPhave  sufficient.     Let  u..  once  get 
sight  of  Newfoundland,  however,  and  thougli  every  ton  of  cord  in  our 
bunkers  were  expended,  we  will  contrive  to  get  into  Trmily  Bay  and  land 
■    the  cable.     We  have  already  paid  out  a  little  over  tbirtj  miles  ot  cable, 
although  it  is  not  yet  seven  o'clock,  and  the  ship's  speed  varies  trom 
four  to  five  miles  per  hour.     There  is  a  long  distance  yet,  it  is  true,  be- 
tween this  and  Newfoundland,  and  tUi^  miles  is  a  very  .n.all  fracliou 
of  88iltniles~the  distance  fro^/fiffMt  at  which  wt  made  the  sphco 
to  the  telegraph  station  at  the  iUf'Tvmiy  Bay.     In  this  rcspeet_^ 
the  Agamemnon  has  certainly  had  tM  advantage  of  us,  as  .she  will  hav^ 
but  813  miles  to  go— or  sixty  less  than 'the  Niagara.     The  depth  of 
water  here,  according  to  the  chart  of  soundings,  is  l,5f>0   iathoms  ;  but 
tho  depth,  so  far  as  our  experience,  testifies,  presents  little  or  no  obsta- 
.   cle  to  the  laying  of  the  cable.     The  sea  is  smooth  ;  th.^  barometer  ^ell 
up :  and  if  wo  eaa  only  do  for  the  nexl  seven  daj«  as  w(dl  as  we  huv^ 


up  ,    iui>i  II    nv!  'J'*"  wuij   "-  - —   —  •■  ,    ,  1        r  l\       e 

lone^^nl^^ro'cIocVw*^  wTrT)¥  at  N^^ 


«r' 


fHW 


^ 


250 


A 


.THE  OCEAN, T£I,KGEAPH. 


t 


■^ 


..  Ai^^gust,  and  to  New  York  some  time  between  the  tSth  and  '20th  of  the 
"       samemwifh.     But  we  have  been  *,,newhat  too  ha%  in  our  calcula- 
tions, l^^r  our  ship  has  just  slowoa  down,  and   tlie  propeller  has  coased 
workiBfr  for  the  last  ten  miuutc-s      There  must,  be  something  wrong  -to 
cause  Kiis. interruption.     Lot  U3  take  a  look  at  the  machine.     The  caWtf 
fctill  t^oi'.s  ■■mi,  whlcii  certainly  would  not  be  the  case  if  it  had  parted.     ^ 
Ah  !  .til.,-  cf^riuouity  1  that's  it— there's  where  the  difficulty _ lies.     And  • 
-    ah  the  clociriiiiins  are  the  only  parties  who  can  inform  us  on  thatf.oint, 
.        we  at  once  go  in  search  of  them.     A  visit  to  their  office " explains  the 
.     whole  matter.     The  continuity  m  not  g^>ne  altogether,  but  is  defective-,    • 

.so  dea-cuv,.  tJ-at  it  i&  impo.ssiblo  to  get  a  signal  through  the  cablA     Still 
•    there  JH  not  "  de-id  earth ''  upon  it,  and  all  hope,  therefore;  is  Hot  lost. 
:   \  ■  When  dead  crirth,  as  it  is  termed,  h  on  the  conductor,  then,  indeed 
,       the  difll.ul^is  bey.md  remedy,  for  it  show.^  thai  the  conductor  mu^t 
be  br,,kon.  jind  is  thrown  under  the  influ^mce  of  terrestrial  magnetism." 
•But  the  continuity  iv.Dot  gom,  knd  although  with  darkening  pWprcts, 
we  are  sUn>  wife  wh^le   it  remains,  even   imperfect  as  it  isv     The  old    ' 
adage,  that  -'bad  news  tfavel-.  fast,"  was  never  more  fully  realized  thanr* 
m  thi8  instance.     Tlfe  sad  iDtcli)genoe.*<ras  known  to  every  one  on  board  •  ' 
the  ship  about  fifteen 'minutes' aft  or  it  was  announced  to  Mr.  Fjeld  and 
those  wh<,  prec&tcd  tho  faUufe  of  the  espedition.fell  back  upon  their 
prophecy,  and  hinted  iu  a  modest  wfty  at  tlwjir  own. perception.     It 
would   be  absurd  tp  say  that  the  occurrence  wa.<i  not  discouraging-  it 
wa.s^ai.,fully  so,  Tor  tho  hopes  of  some  of  xis  had  really  Vt^h  to  revive 
and  we  were  gainhig  coufdence  every  h^ur.     'Now  nothing'  could  bjJ    ^ 
done.     Me'mu,sf\v.ait  until, the  continui+jwhouJd  rettirn  or  take  its 
final  departure,.    And  it  dici* return, -and  with  greii.«r  strength  than'* 
ever.     At  tct,  mitmtes  past  nine  i:  m.  the  electrician  on  du{y  observed 
Its  l>il...#,  aiul  «^  11.30  he  had  the  gratifying  Jnteliigeuce  for  ua  tfmt  it 
wa.  "all  n^H^again."     Tho  machinery  wa^  once  more  set  in  motion, 
.     the  cahle  wa.s  .soon  going  out  at  the  rate  of  six  miles  'an  lour,  und  the 
cIecU>/cal  signals  were  pa.wing  betwecii  tho  ship  as  regularly' as  H'  rioth- 
mg|liad„oc.ur»ed  to  lulerfer^  with  or  interrupt  ikp  continuity.     No  <«- 
plaiiation  could  be  given  as  to  the  cau^o  of  the  accident,  t^  was  to  be 
rehed  upon.     It  was  supposed,  however,  that  it  had  broken  (!Vi  board'  / 
the.  Agamemnon,  and  that   tho   end   was   secured   a ttd  splir^d  befor<>    ^ 
It  c^,nld  get  „Mt  of  thp  ship.      Thi.,  is  f,u„red  by  the    fact   tiat   i*   ' 
would  ffike  n\i  hour  or  so  to  make  ||,e  splice,  nvlnch  wa*s  about  th<!  time 
that  clapsed«rfOm  trie  moment  th5  continuity  became  in.perfa,^  till  it 
WusTc«tored.-     Another  reason,  though  probably  n-M,  so  good,  wlgivcn 
--that  tfie  v,hU'  was  subj^'ct  to'so  so^ero  ii  strain  as  to  cause  the  p "  ' 
lug  ot  tho  copper  wire'or  conductor,  altliough  the  insulation  rejiii^i: " 


1  '^. 


i  J--^ 


•i,* 


■    r  1 


••    ^ 


♦  .. 


;*' 


THE  FINAL  EXPtpmON. 


251 


)th  t)f  the 
!•  calcula- 

as  ceased 

wrong  -to 

Fhe  cahh 

d  parted.     ' 

es.     And  ■ 

'latf^oint, 

ilains  the 

fcctive —    • 

\^_    Still    ,. 

not  lost. 

I,  indeed, 

tor  mus^t 

lOTietism.*" 
r 

ifOSpOCtH, 

The  old 
sed  thari*!^ 
jn  board 
ield,  and 
on  their 
ion.     It 
ging;  it 
)  pevivc, 
!Ould  hp 
take  ita^ 
th  than  ' 
observed 
I  that  it 
niotion, 
und  the 
•f  riotli- 

No  ivx- 
a  ..to  bo 
ti  board  ■  / 

boforie    ,    - 
tijiat   i* 
HI  time 
L  till  it 
3  given  , 


'  1  '^. 


r 


feet ;  and  as  soon  as  the  strain  was  released  the  brNsken  wires  came  together 
again,  thus  restoring  the  continuity.  However  it  ii^y  have  been,  or  by 
whatever  scientific  means  it  might  be  explained,  the  one  fact  was  evi- 
dent— the  continuity  was  "all  right,"  and  we  were  satisfied.  Weweilte. : 
alarmed  by  no  more  unpleasant  reports  this  night,  and  retired  to  bed — 
some  to  sleepj  andstime  to  spend  a  restless  night  in  anxious  fears  about 
the  safety  of  the  cable  and  in  feverish  hopes  of  success. 

As  every  thing  relating  to  the  electrical  department  Inust  be  of  deep 
interest  during  the  process  of  the  work,  we  are  deierniincd  tu  Visit  the  elec- 
tricians' office,  which  is  situated  in  that  little  C(frner  close  by  the  wardroom 
*coil — a  point  to  which  no  one  on  board  can  Ipok  without  apprehension  when 
he  reflects  that  at  any  moment  a  messenger  may  start  from  it  witli  tne 
dread  annouucement  that  the^continuity  hfts  taken  flight.    That  is  where 
"the  subtle  current  which  flows  along  the  conductor,  a  part  of  which  is 
now  submerged  in  the  ^reat  ocean  depths,  is  generated,  and  where  the 
mysterious  apparatus  by  which  electricity  is  weighed  und  mcasuredj  as 
a  marketable  commodity,  is  fitted  up.   *  In  that  little  apartment,  which 
will  n<?t  hold  Ibore  than  five  persons,  one  of  the  operatoi-s  sleeps,  be- 
cause there'  is  no  r^Mp  for  him  to  sleep  elsewhere,  every  available 
•  place  being  already  occupied.     The  electricians'  office^  is  never  left 
wJt,ho&t  a  watch,  day  or  night,  and  every  movement  of  the  little  needle 
Hat  tells^^'  e^tence  of' the  current  in  the  cable*  is  watched  with  the 
greatest  interest.     A  brief  descrintiou  of  what  this  ipartmcnt  contains 
jrill  give, the  reader  an  insight  iiito  all  the  operauocs  that  are '.per- 
med therein^  ^ 
system  has  been  devised  for  transmitting  and  receiving  signals 
tFri!|ii^  the  cable  from  ship  to  Ihip,  during  the  process  o^paying  out. 
This  hat^  been  done  by  Mr.  L%ws  and  Mr.  De  SiiUty,  the. two  gentle-.  , 
mfen  who  have  charge  of  the  eleqtrical  departmeut^on  board  our  ship, 
and  was  accepted  by  the  directors  of  the  company,  wK^wnde  an  order  of 
the  Board,  by  their  minutes  of  June  7,  1858.     1^  consists  of  an  ex- 
change of  currents  sent  alternately  during  a  period  of  ten.mi|j>tes  by 
each  ship,  which  not  only  serve  to  giye  an  accurate  test  of  the  con- 
tinuity and  insulation  of  the  con4>icting  wire,  but  alsa  to  give  certain 
-   slgnak  v^hich,  are  required  to  be  senjb  when  the  ships  are  far  apart. 
Silp^  instanceZ-eyer^ten  mil*  of  cable  paid  out  is,signalized  from  ship  t9 
ship,  as  also  the  approaoh  to  land  or  momentary  stoppage  for  splicing, 
shifting  coils,  &<5.     The  electrical  apparatus  employed  ^n  board  the  two 
vessels  is  not  very  complicated,  and  is  siifiply  composed  of  tostitig- instru- 
ments, .wholly  different  from  those'^tp  bo  used  for  the  transmission  of 
messages  when  the  ends  of  the  cable  shall  be  landed.    ,^      T  ." 

The  electric  current  is  generated  by  siyid  batteries  oonsisttng  of 


f  . 


r^5" 


:d^ 


i^ 


# 


252 


THE   OCEAN   TELEGKAPH. 


1^' 


'■\ 


ij 


9» 


*plates  of  zinc  and  copper,  about  fourtc«n  wjuare  inches  each,  airanged 
by  pairs.     These  plates  are  inimerged  in  a  solution  of  sulphuric  acid  and 
water,  mixed  with  saw  dust,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  liquid 
from  overflowing.     Two  hundred  and  forty  of  these  pairs  are  in  opera- 
,  tion  on  board  of  each  ship.     The  instrument  used  foi:  senditx?  the  current 
thus  created  through  the  line  ia  an  ordinary  commutattr,  iu  the  form  of 
a  reversing  key,  by  which  the  operator  can,  at  will,  send  the  zinc  of  cop- 
per current  of  the  battery  into  the  cable,  and  by  so  doing  change  the 
nature  of  the  signals.     The  current  next  passes  tlirough  an  electro-mag- 
netometer, an  instrument  very  useful  for  the  purposes  of  testing.     It  is 
composed  of  an  electro-magnet,  the  armature  of  which  can  be  "  further- 
ed "  or  "  approached  "by  a  si»all  screw,  so  as  to  require  a  stronger  or 
weaker  current  to  attract  it.    It  shows  the  charge  a.s  every  current  flows 
into  the  cable  and  the  discharge  as  it  comes  out.     Before  entering  the 
line  the  electric  current  is  made  to  pass  through  a  second  instrument, 
called    the   marine  galvanometer,   which   was  iuventcd    by   Professor 
Thom.son,  of  Glasgow  University,  one  of  the^irprtors  of  the  company.  The 
magnetic  needle,  which  is  placed  iu  the  centre  of  a  coil  of  wire,  instead 
of  marking  its  own  deflations  as  in  ordinary  galvauoineters,'has  a  little 
mirror  fixed  to  it,  'be  reflection  of  which   creates  a  suiui;  spot  of  light 
a9cording  to  the  deflections,,  moving  on  a  horizontal  scale  of  v^hite  paper, 
placed  at  about  eighteen  inches  <*rom  the  instrument  itself     This  instru- 
ment reports  accunTtely  the  force  of  the  currents,  not  only  in  the  send- 
ing, but  also  in  the  receiving  from  the  corresponding  ship. 

Besides  this  marine  galvanometer,  the  only  other  instrument  iu  cir- 
cuit when  receiving  is  the  ordinary  galvanometer  usually  employed  for 
testrtig.  According  to  the  natjire  of  the  current  received,  the  needle  is 
deflected  to  the  right  or  the  left  of  a  paint  marked  zero  on  the  dial,  and 
where  the  needle  is  in  a  vertical  position  when  no  current  is  passing 
through  the  coil  of  wire  surrounding  it.  Every  one  of  the  deiflections 
read  on  the  galvanometer,  as  also  the  charge  and  discharge  indicated  by 
the  magnetometer,  are  carefully  recorded,  so  that  if  a  defect  of  con- 
tinuity or  insulation  occurred  it  miri^t  be  visible  by  comparison  with 
those  received  before. 

These  are  all  the  instruments  in  the  electrical  department,  and  this 
ia  a  Bimplificd  explanation  rff  their  various  uses,  so  that  the  unscientific 
can  understand  them.  " 

Second  Day — July  30.  v 

All  thfough  the  nfght  the  sound  of  the  machinehy  never  ceased,  and 
the  continuity  remained  perfect.  At  half  past  three  o'clock  this  morn-, 
ing  the  laat  flake  of  the  forward  spar  deck  coil  began  to  run  out,  and 


^ 


THE  FIKAL  EXrEDITTOK. 


^53 


considerable  anxiety  is  mnnifested  in  regard  io  the  ehangelo  that  on 
the  forward  main  deck,  which  is  immediately  beneath.     Every.  i.r<-oai>-  .  ' 
tion,  however,  has  been  taken  to  guard  against  accident,  aud  \>y  a  <iuar-    .  • 
ter  to  four  the  agony  is  over;  the  first  tUrn  of.  the  new  coil  has  been    , 
reached,  and  the  cable  is  going  out  in  splendid  stylo.     The  interest  is 
now  transferred  to  the  main  deck,  for  there  i^  nothing  further  to  attract 
the  attention  in  the  appearance  of  the  circle  which  has  jn.st  become 
vacant— nothing  but  the  thick  tar  that  covers  the  floor,  the  broken  cone, 
and  the  rings  or  fSir-leaders  through  which  the  cable  passes  before  it 
runs  over  the  bobbins  that  lead  to  the  machine.     Yet  it  would  be  wrong 
to  say  that  there  is  little  of  interest  in  this  circle,  for  have  we  not  sue- 
cessfully  paid  out  all  the  cable  it  contained;   and  ^ho  doubts  we  wo^dd 
find  more  pleasure  in  looking  at  all  the  circles  when  empty  ?     The 
case  with  which  the  line  runs  out  of  the  ship  at  this  distance  from  the 
atevn,  for  we  are  now  about  two  hundred  an.l  seventy  feet  from  that  point, 
i.^  calculated  to  infuse  new  confidence  into  every  one  who  see^  it,  but  it  is, 
.   after  all,  a  confidence  terribly  shaken  by  vague  fears  of  the  future.     W  c 
have  five  or  six  days  to  run  before  we  get  into  Trinity  Bay,  and  in  that 
time,  which,  in  our  stJite  of  suspense,  seems  so  many  years,  what  may 
not  occur  ?     We  are  afraid  even  to  think  of  success,  so  oftan   have  our 
liopes  been  blasted  by  disappointment;  the  very  thought  of  the  magni- 
tude of  the  undertaking  brings  with  it  a  feeling  almo^akin  to  discour- 
agement.    Wc  know  tiiat  ^e  risk  is  doubled  by  the' 6m^oyment  of 
two  ships,  while  at  the  same  time  it  must  be  acknowledged  li.ur  chances  of  ■ 
success  are  increased  by  thus  reducing  the  time  one  hnlff..  But,  again, 
in  running  the  distance  between  the  two  points'  which  .t  is  dcsignpd  to 
connect,  tliere  is  the  probability  that  either  or  both  vcsseU  will  get  jnto 
a  gale,  aU  in  that  C7ent  the  prospect  of  laying  the  cabl^  becomes  fear- 
fully dubious.      Such  a  gale  as  that  wo  have  had-an  eigW  day  a|ftir- 
would  very  soon  put  an  end  to  the  undertakiag,  and  still  the  work  ap- 
pears easy  and  practical  enough.     Follow  the  course  *f  the  cable  as  it- 
comes  out  of  the  coil,  passes  over  the  bobbins,  round  tlie*beaves  ot  the 
paying-out  machine,  and  so  on  till  it  goes  overboard,  and  you  will  be 
fully  impressed  with  its  practicability.     Yet  what  is  the  reason  tbat  ajl 
the  attempts  hitherto  made  have  failed,  you  may  ask?     Why  if  three 
hu»4rod  miles  have  submerged,  is  it  not  abo  possible  to  lay  twj  or  three 
thousand ''  This  is  a  question  which  appears  very  simple,  and  which  is  yet 
rather  difficult  to  answer.    It  is  easy  to  say  that  the  breaking  of  the  cable 
is  caused  by  defective  machinery,  but  who  is  able  to  account  eatirfi^ctor.  y 
for  the  break  of  continuity >bioh  HQCMtrci  lu  June  last.ftfter  tprty 
miles  had  been  paidout  of  both  ships  ?  This  it>  which  raises  the  greatest- 
doubt,  in  the  minds  of  all,  and  which  makes  qv,u  the  most  hopeful  ap- 


-'« 


1«_- 


254: 


kA 


TEra:  oceAn  telegeaph. 


!*<■.  , 


i  y' 


♦     Q 


prehensive  as  to  the  result.  That  word  "continuity  "  has  created  more 
uneasiness  and  anxiety  than  any  thing  connectedVith  the  work,  simply 
because  it  is  seemingly  beyoud  the  control  of  scientific  skill,  and,  once 
•  gone,  cannot  be  restored  by  human  ingenuii,y.  At  any  moment  wo  may 
"hear  that  it  hsS  parted,  and  sleeping  or  waking,  th^e  fear  that  it  will 
haunts  us  like  a  nightmare.  Oh,  how  wo  long  to  see  that  bleak  and 
barren,  but  to  us,  more  desirable  coast  u.ijin  any  that  ever  met  the  gaze 
of  enraptured  voyager.  What  would  we  not  give  to  be  steaming  up  to- 
wards the  head  of  Trinity^ay  with  tiio  telegraph  station  in  full  view  ? 
Five  or  six  d^ys  yet  to  run,  at  the  end  of  which  time  we  may  be  return- 
ing to  Quoen^own,  agakn  to  bring  the  nellis  of  disaster  and  defeat.  But 
wo  must  not  think  of  defeat  now— we  are  bound  foV  Newfoundland,  and 
if  Providence  favors  u^,  two  or  three  weeks,  at  the  farthest  will  see  us 
entering  the  bay  of  New  York,  after  having  successfully  accomplished 
the  greatest  work  ever  undertaken  by, man.  But  let  us  see  what  pro- 
gress wc  have  made  during  the  last  twenty-three  hours,  for  it  is  now 
twelve  o'clock,  and  we  have  been  paying  out  since  one  yesterday  after- 
noon. The  following  table  shows  the  distance,  xnn  according  to  the  dif- 
fereijt  logs  therein  stated  . 


By  observation,    ., 
By  ship's  log,    . 
By  cngiaeera  log, 
By  paieotlog, 


89  inaog. 

»H  inilos. 
^■j'l  miles. 
105  8-10  miles. 


Tlie  length  of  cable  paid  out,  aooording  to  the  indicator  attabhed  to 
the  machine,  i^  131  miles  and  900  fathoSas,  or  a  surplus  ovc^  the  dis- 
tance run,  as  shown  by  observation,,  of  42  miles  and  900  fathoms,  which 
is  equal  to  about  48  per  cent.  Thw  is^a  ruinous  eipenditure,  and  if  it 
should  continue  at  the  name  rate*for  the  next  two  or  three  days,  we 
might  as  well  abandon  the  underJai'Klog  at  once,  turn  our  ship's,  head 
toward  England,  and  make  the  best  of  v\ir  way  back.  It  must  not  be 
forgotten,  hp^ever,  that  in  starting,  a  large  amount  of  slack  was  allowed, 
so  as  to  prevent  an  undue  strain  upon  the  cable  before  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles  should  have  been  paid  out.  Of  course,  it  is  almost  need- 
less to  .Hay  that  we  will  bo  forced  into  no  such  expen,diture  during  the 
next  twenty-four  hours.  Besides,  we  pxpect  td  be  able  to.  run  out  the 
cable  at  the  rate  of  seven  an^  eight  miles  an  hour  yet,  and  experience' 
has  proved  -tlKpfester  ii  is  paid  out  the  loss  is  proportionably  diminished. 
There  in  sufficient  to  allotr  a  sarpTxi8;of  thirty  per  c«nt;  and  if  that 
should  not  be  e«ough,  w«  can  land  the  end  «t  the  entrance  initoad  of  at 
the  head  of  Trinity  Bay,  as  was  proposrfd  in  «^e  event  of  our  having  suf- 
^ficient  for  tlie  purpose.  The  depth  oIt  water  during  the'laat  twenty-fofb  ' 
bouni'ha.'^  varied  from  1,600  to  J, 876  fathoms,  but  it  appears  to  hare  ^^ 


i-. 


THE  FINAL  KXPKMTION. 


'255 


effect  upon  the  laying  of  the  cable— iLn  fact,  the  groat  depth  of  water  is        ^,ir, 
one  of  the  least  obstacles  against  which  we  have  to  contend. 

The  electrician  on  watch  has  just  reported  to  IMr.  Field  tliafc  he  re- 
ceived a  despatch  a#yenty,one  minutes  past  two  from  \hc  Agamemnon, 
which  is  now  some  two  hundred  and  thirty  miles  off,  and  ibnt  they  had 
piud  out  from  that  vessel  150  milqs ;  and  at  thirty-six  miuutcs  past  two  ■ 
.  wo  inform-  them  by  electric  8iffl|^  that  we  have  laid  the  >*ame  length. 
This  shows  that  she  is  ahead  W  us  by  fifteen  minutes,  which  is  equal  to 
a  mile  and  «  half     We  have  thus  far  got  aloqg  most  succOs.=fully,  but 
the  remembrance  of  that  unpleasant  iucid^t  about  the  continuity  still    ^ 
clings  to  our  minds,  and  forbids  us''  to  indulge  in  any  sangitinc  expecta- 
tions.     The  weather,  too,  is  btiginning  to  look  unfavorable  ;  and,  vjttit  i9 
still  worse,  th^^  barometer  is  falling,  though  slowly.     A  gale  at  thiFpar- 
'"^icuiar  time  would  be  a  most  unwelcome  visitor,  and  we  trust   that 
although  Lieutenant  Ma^y  was  wrong  in  hij  meteorological  calculations 
about  the  month  of  June,"  he >ill  turn  out  to  be  correct  on  liiis  occasion.       . 
'  The  sky  is  over<?<^st  with  gloody-looking  clouds,  and  the  appearance  of 
the  horizon  is  terv  threatening  and  squally.     The  baromete^  has  fallen 
half  an  inch,  and  has  stiUa  downward- tendchcy,  w\il6  the  ^«d  is  sloWly 
bu^  Steadily  inOTcasing.  ^It  i^  evident  that  we  are  in  for  .t,  v-V-nn  those 
indications  which  have  never  deceived  ua  before  are  at  fault  this  time.    • 
The  wind  continues  to  increa.se  towards  evening,'  but  up  io  .seven  o'clock 
it  has  not  reached  the  magiiitude  oC  a  gald.     It  is  only  blowing  fresh— 
wh^t  sailors  would  call  a  stiff  top-gallant  breeze,  and  as  lot.g^  it  keeps 
:/  th^t  we  are  all  right,  and  have  nothing  to  fear.     Nine  o^ock,  and 
still  no  gale ;  but  unless  the  barometer  i6«stray,  we  will  catch  |t  some- 
time dm-ing  the  night.    .Ten  o'clock  has  just  struck,  but,  strange  to  say^ 
the  wind  is  going  down,  afid  the  sea  is  following  the  example.     It  is  to 
bo  hoped  rt  will  stay  down,  and  remain  so  tiU  we  get  into  New  York,      ,  . 
for  we  hava  had  quite  enough  of  it  alrea%,  and  Imve  learned  by  experi- ,, 
encc  that  a  smooth  sea  is  preferable  to  "  rotliiSif  billows"  at  any  tim« 
The  night  is  clearing  up,  and  through  the  patches  of  sky  which  are  seen 
through  openi.g8- in  the  drifting  and  broken  scud,  the  quiet  f^rs  are 
poepitig  oul.     The  would-be  gale  is  literally  twed  up,  and  we  have  a^ 
calm  and  beautiful  night  for  tlie  oontinuanco  of  our  work.     I  .ihdence 
is  rising  ripidly,  tpA  the  bid*  in  favor  of-  its  success  are  becoming  qriite 
heavy  in  tao  imaginary  stock  market  wnich  has  been  established  on 
board    -When  it  wae  reported  that  the  continuity  wa^  not  so  perfect  as 
we  could  wlflk,'8tock8  Vrent  down  with  a  terrible  rush,  and  there,  were  no 
.•       bidderd  at  any  price.     Bui!  twenty  four  Ijours  decidejl  t>e  matter;  t^e 
'    Atlantic  telegraph  raa  up  to  fifty  per  nftnt;  and  continued  going  ^p  till 
iti  reached  the  remWkaWe  figure- of>ieyenty-fiv«     The,oable  is,  in^-* 


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256 


THE  OCEAN   TELEORArn. 


^  the  absorbing  subject  of  conversation  on  board,  and  other  thinffs  are  only 
spoken  of  amlhay  bear  some  relation  to  it.     That  group  of  sailors  near 
^.t|ie  cook's  galley  are  engaged  in  an  animated  discussion  ou  the  all-pir- 
tiiling  topic.      One  of  the  number  ia  trying  to  persuade  his  messmates 
'that  it  is  iiiipnssible  to  lay  it;  but  they  lend  him  a  rather  unwilVm-r 
ear,  and  are  ^evidently  more  strongly  inclined  to'  the  other  view  of  the 
suWiect.     Among  them,  too,  is  the  same  individual  who  4iivcred  Lis-' 
opinion  with  such  p^mphasis' some  ■  time  ago  on  "  continuity,"  but  wlio 
■  has  since  become  a  most  sincere  convert,  and  a  firm  believer  in  the  fi^Uh 
that  the  -cable  can  be  laijl.     The  very  messenger  boys  are  as  deeply  Ife. 
terested  in  the  subject  as  the  oldest  tar  on  board,and  at  their  hc.id 
stands  a  bright-looking  lud.'.whojHrag  rewarded  the  o^eij  day.  by  Mr. 
Field  for  the  look-out  he  kept  for  the  Agamemnon.     Iq  tie  enthusiasm 
which  has  snccepded  the  hopeless  <ig6pondency,  and  in  whioji'  nearly  the 
whole  ship  was  sunt,  a  sort  of  veneration  ha»  spruug  up  for  evory  thing 
with  which  the  cable  has  been  n'aced  in  contact.     Some  have  designs 
upon  the  pieces  of  plAnking  which  formed  the  floor  of  the  circles  in 
which  it  has  brien  or  is  coiled,  and  specimens  of  the  cable  itself  are  more 
highly  prized  jiinv  than  they  ever  were  before.     Nothing  j.s  thoughi  <,| 
during  the  day  but  the  cable,  and  a^  uighi    [  belief^  two-thirds  of  the 
crew  don't  dream  of  any  thing  else.     Wc  hape  all  t/ccoim)  supcwtitious, 
and  the  man  who  has  the  most  auspicious  dreams  Is  aa  eagerly  listened 
to  as  if  he  were  an  infallibly  oracle. 

■   "  I  dreamed  last  night/'^j^^  one  of  these,  "  that  wo  had  laid  the 
■■able,  and  there  was  not  a  single  break  in  it ;  and  my  dreams  always 
come  in  iruo.  as  M.  can  tell  youj  for  I  told  him  a  thing  that  he  found 
out  had  happened  exactly  at  the  time  Fevealed  to  me."     This  was  con- 
sidered by  some  as  proof  positive,  wiile  those  who  looked  with  con- 
tempt at  proghostieations,  auspicious  dreams,  auguries,  omefls,  and  such    • 
like,  smiled  upon  the  dreamer  with  indulgent  consideration.     They  were 
evidently  pleased  to  listen,  and  although  they  would  emphatically  have 
contradicted  the  charge  of  being  superstitious,  the  gratification  which 
they  manif(;sted  ha<f  somewhat  of  a  leaning  in  that  direction.     Whether 
they  are  or  are  not,  superstitious,  wfe  hope  the  dream  will, be  fulfilhjd, 
however,  and  that  the  Agamemnon  as  woll  as  the  Niagara  Wl  succeed 
in 'accomplishing  her  share  of  the  work.     If  we  should  pass  over  another 
day  in  safety  ther^will  Hot  -be  a  single  uceptic  ou  board ;  for  those  who 
were  the  most  incredulous  are  fast  giving  way  before  the  strong  evidence 
with  which  they  have  boon  presented  in  the  last  twenty-four  hours. 
The  fe9ling  of  confidence   in  the  prospects  ^f  to-morrow  is  greatly 
stPeagthened  ^y  the  facility  yith  which  all  the  operations  are  carried  ,« 
on,  and  J)y   the  admbrkble  maimer  in  which  the  paying-out  maoMne  ' 


THE   FINAL   KXPEDITION. 


257 


•9 

worlds.     Let  the  contkuity  romaia  perfect  and  there  will  be  no  diffi- 
culty. 

Third  day — Julk  31. 

The  desperate  effort  which  wa-s  made  ytkterday  by  the  barometer  ^o 
get  up  a  gale  proved  a  total  failure,  and  w^  have  now  one  of  the  anest 
(lays  for  cable  laying  wo  have  had  during  this  expedition.     The  index  ■ 
hand  pointed  29.64  still,  but  the  wind  .wovlld\  not  come,  tht  sea  refused 
to  rise  without  some  provocation,  and, bo  t,he  di^te  of  the  storm  was  post- 
poned' fSaefiuitely.    -There  is,  however,  a  thickv  mist,  through  which  the 
^lorgon  is  indistinctly  visible  a  short  distanco\in  advance  on  our  star- 
.  boiird  bow  ;  but  this  is  already  beginning  to  disappear,  and  before  noon 
'(he  horizon  will  be  perfectly  clear.     The  first  point  of  attraction  is  the 
coil,  for  if  the  cable  is  running  from  it  freely  you  may  be  certain  that 
iih  in  right.     The  coilere  who  sit  on  the  margin  of  each  flake  are  amus- 
ing themselves  in  the  intervals  of  their  \p-k  by  manufacturing  ll^ltf 
ballri  out  of  the  tar,  which  has  become  hardened  by  exposure  to  the  dir, 
und  throwing  them  down  before  each  turn  as  it  Is  takeii  up  from  tile 
coil.     As  the  cable  passes  out  at  the  rate  of  from  seven  to  eight  miles 
an  houf,  it  strikes  these  balls  with  considerable  force  while  it  courses 
round  the  circle,  sending  them  byfiVre  it  with  still  greater  speed.     The 
rate  at  which  they  run  djspends  to  a  great  extent  on  their  spherical 
^orm,  and  he  who  makes  theiu  roundest  is  generally  the  winner.     As  no 
b(it8,  however,  are  offered  or  made,  no  pecuniary  advantage  accrues  to 
any  of  the  parties  concerned.     Occasionally  -a  lump  of  chalk,  a  small 
potato,  or  a  piooe  of  wax  candle  is  entered  for  the  race,  in  which  the 
chalk  generally  comes  out  ahead.     As  it  is  impossible  for  any  accident 
to  occur  from  tliis,  and  as  it  affords- a  harmless  amusement  to  the  men, 
without  interrupting  the  work,  they  are  not  interfered  with.     They  are 
always  readv  ai'  the  end  of  each  flake  to  lead  the  cable  into  the  centre, 
and  perform  "the  operation  so  well  that  a  kink  is  almost  a  matter  of  im- 
possibility.    It  is  a  plea.sure  to  look  upon  their  earnest,  eagef  faces,  and 
observe  the  care  with'which  they  handle  the  line  while  passing  it  from 
the  outer  edge  of  the  circle  to  the  cone.     Althougii  this  operation  re- 
quires-to  be  repeated  about  fifty  times  a  day,  they  always  perform  it 
sucoessfulh.     If  they  allow  a  single  kink  to  take  plice  the  expedition 
might  be  co'naidered  as  at  an  end,  for  it  would  be  next  to  impossible  to 
remedy  the  damage.     Not  a  man  among  them  who  does  not  know  that, 
and  who  does  not  realize  tho  full  importance  of  the  duty  with  which  he 
is  ent   .it  '      The  rca.dcr  must  by  this  time  be  aware  that  in  paying 
out  the  cable,  the  greatest  caution  hK  to  bo  observed  to  prevent  it  from 
kinkitJg,  and  aa  there  ifl  a  much  greater  tendency  to  kink  near  the  ooue, 
17 


'^. 


/ 


■/" 


\ 


h 


r'* 


268 


THE  OCKAS  TKUfORJ^U. 


I      ■ 


which  is  in  the  centre  of  the  circle,  than  as  you  approach  the  circum- 
ference, the  ship  is  always  slowed  down  ahout  ftve  minntes  before  the 
last  or  outermost  turn  is  taken  up.  As  soon,  however,  as  this  critical 
part  of  the  work  is  safely  performed,  word  is  passed  to  the  engineer  to 
"  go  ahead,"  and  immediately  after  the  huge  propeller  is  again  revolving 
with  its  former  velocity. 

Contrary  to  the  predictions  of  some,  the  change  from  the  forward 
main  deck  coil  to  that  on  the  deck  immediately  below,  took  place  at 
half-past  five  this  afternoon.  It  wip  thought  that  we  would  not  have  it 
all  paid  out  before  ipid'night,  but  the  speed  had  been  som«what  increased 
during  the  last  twenty-four  hours,  and  the  rapidity  with  which  flake 
after  flake  passed  out  satisfied  those  on  watch  that  the  coil  would  bo  ex- 
hausted iong  before  the  time  announced.  At  least  an  hour  before  tic 
change  was  made  the  outer  boundaries  of  the  circle  in  which  the  cable 
lay  was  literally  crowded  with  mon,  and  never  was  greater  interest  man- 
ifested in  any  spectacle  than  that  which  they  exhibited  in  the  proceed 
ings  before  them.'  There  were  serious  doubts  and  misgivings  as  to  the 
successful  performance  of  this  important  part  of  the  work,  and  thcs^ 
only  served  to  increase  the  feeling  of  anxiety  and  suspense  with  which 
they  silently  and  breathlessly  await  the  critical  momept.  The  last  flake 
has  been  reached,  and  as  turn  after  turn  leaves  the  ^rcle  every  eye  is 
intently  fixed  on  the  cable.  Now  ther(^are  but  thirty  tiwns  remaining, 
and  as  the  first  of  these  is  unwound,  Mr.  Everett,  who  has\bcen  in  the 
circle  during  the  last  half  hour,  gives  the  order  to  the  engine^  on  duty 
to  "slow  down."  In  a  few  moments  there  is  a  perceptible  diiAinution 
in  the  speed,  which  continues  diminishing  till  it  han  reached  the  rate  of  ,j- 
about  two  miles  an  hour.  ^      -^ 

"  Look  out  now,  men,''  says  Mr.  Everett,  in  his  usual  quiet,  solf-pos-  ^ 
sessed  way.  The  men  are  m  thoroughly  wide  iwake  a«  they  can  be,  nnd 
are  waiting  eagerly  for  the  moment  when  they  shall  lift  the  bight  of  the 
cable.  aAd  deliver  it  out  safely.  One  of  the  planks  in  the  side  of  the 
couc  haAbi-JU  loosened,  and  just  as  they  are  aboutJaiking  the  cable  in 
their  hand;*,  ij.  is  removed  altogether,  so  that  as^fto  laet  yard  passes  out 
of  the  now  empty  circle,  the  line  comfnences  paying  out  from  the  circle 
below,  or  the  "  orlop ''  deck  coil,  as  itUs  called.  The  men,  who  are  no 
other  than  the  coilers,  or  "  Knigjits  of  the  Black  Han^,"  as  they  have 
not  inappropriately  been  termed,  have  done  their  work  well,  and  the  ap- 
plause with  which  they  have  been  grteted  by  the  crowd  of  admiring 
spectators  is  the  most  gratifying,  tesfimony  they  can  receive  of  the 
fact.  They  have  hardly  passed  the  cable  out  of  (])«  circle  before  they 
are  received  with  as  enthusiastic  a  dciuon&tration  of  approval  as  the  rules 
of  the  navy  will  permit.     Such  a  clapping  of  hands  was  never  heard  ate^" 


^     V 


t. 


THE   FINA.L   KXI'EDI  IKiN. 


259 


e  circum- 
jefore  the 
lis  critical 
igincer  to 
revolving 

J  forward 
:  place  at 
}t  have  it 
iucreased 
lich  flake 
lid  bo  ox- 
)cfore  tjjc 
the  caT>le 
rest  mail- 
I  proceed 
as  to  the 
md  tltts^ 
ith  whicd 
last  iiak(> 
!ry  eye  ia 
Jiuaining, 
sn  in  the 
•  on  duty 
i^nution 
e  rate  of  ,j^ 

S0lf-p03-    ^ 

a  be,  find 
ht  of  the 
le  of  the' 
cable  in 
asses  oul 
.he  circle 
10  arc  no 
tiey  have 
i  the  ap- 
idmiring 
e  of  the 
ore  they 
the  rules 
heard  atv^ 


/    ^ 


\ 


\ 


t 


the  Aciideniy  of  Music,  and  if  they  had  only  been  indulged  a  little,  they 
would  have  rai  .;d  such  a  cheer  as  would  have  aroused  old  Neptune  from 
the  profoundec;  depths  of  his  marine  dominionH.     The  hatches,  vrhich 
were  covcri;d  over  in  the  construction  of  the  circle,  are  opened,  and  the 
'  daylight  is  thrown  upon  the  top  of  the  coil/from  which  the  first  flake.is 
now  being  paid  out.     The  same  ficenc  w.  proscutcd  ns  tliat  exhibittd  m 
all  the  coils  during  Hhepaying-oiit  process,  excopt  that  the  rather  dim 
daylight  which  penetrates  to  this  deck  renders  th.'  aid  of  candles  a  mat- 
ter of  absolute  necessity.     The  removal  of  the  hatches  discloses  to  the 
view  of  those  above  the  Knights   of  the  Black  Hand  sitting,  or  rather 
crouching  in  a  very  unknightly  manner,  on   theio])  of  the  cable,  as   the 
u-irrow  space  bet^o'en  it  and  the  beams' wf  the  deck  will  not  allow  them 
to  take  a  more  erect  or  graceful  position:     Two  dozen  candles  atd  a  half- 
d(  .en  lamps  illuminate  the  circle  :  for.,  after  1.II,  it  is  hardly  w^orth  while  ^ 
spying  any  thing  about  the  dubious  instalment  of  daylight  which  is  given 
h.re      It  is  certainly  a  strange  spectacle,  that  cable  pared  circle  from 
which  the  black  line  ts  rapidly  ascending  to  the  deck  abwe,  on  it^  way 
to  the  bo-ltom  of  the  ocean— those  men  who  seem  to  have  been  placed 
there  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  look  at  it  as  it  passes  upwards-and 
lastly, :that  .superintendent,  who  sits  on   the   out.side  of  the  circle,  and 
whose  presence  is  necessary  to  make  the  scene  perfect.     Iju^'Oae  n«d 
have  been  placed  there  for  another  purpo-.e,  and  a  most  i^|^«nt  one, 
too      There  they  sit,  it  is  true,  and  m  a  rather  uucoii|fqrlal)l|.  position 
for  the  nu«>  ^eing.  but  wait  i^ntil  the  last,  turn  of  tliis  «ake.  is  ab-JOit 
leaving  tlic  circle,  and  you  4ill  see  them   display  the  greatest  activity. 
.     Now  they  seize kt  in  their  hands  and  run  ^^itl,  it  towards  t|^e  centre  or 
cone,  so  as  to^prevent  the  possibility. of  a  kink  when  the  change  froip 
the  long  to  the  short  turns  takes, plUee,  and  when  this  ta.sk  ig  accomplished 
they  return  to  their  places,,  until  they  ar<i  again  suramoned  forth  to  a 
repetition  of  the  same  operation. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  excitement  attendant  on  this  important  opera- 
tion  ceases,  but  as  we  approach  our  destination,  and  our  chances  of  ^uceess 
increase  with  everj  hour,  the  fceliagksuspense  and  anxietjcbtoftmlB^bso-  , 
lutelj  painful.  This  is  our-third  day,  and  since  the  tw,)  «pfl  sta^-tgd 
frcmi  mid-oecan  wo  have  paid  out  a  greater  length  of  cable  than  was  ever 
^id  before.  We  hardly  dare  ask  our.selves  if  we  shall  lay  the  line  the 
>»hole  distance-it  seems  too  much  to  hope  for-;ind  we  dread  to  think 
of  the  future.  W-^  count  the  day  not  by  hours,  but  by  minutes,  and 
retire  at  night  nof  to  sleep,  but  to  thi«k  thnnigk  tlgttefHous  and  we,.ry 
momeitits  of  the  aSl-absorbing  subject.  The  ^ 
\>ee<me  as'fivmili^r't.o  us  as  that'of  our  own  voices,! 
In  ai^hjther  1101*0  we  listen  wiili  'eagerj^»8  to  hear 


) 


machinery  has 
it  is  dnnviiwd 


•\ 


..    '■  v%  ■    '%' 


m 


i^tJO 


tHE   OCKAX   TELKOKArn. 


The  baroractor  is  oonsuUcri  hourly  and  its  variatioBS  watrjicd  with  a 
jcakiu.^  eye,  for  we  can  now  appreciate  fully  how  much  iK^poudH  upon  tho 
weather  So  far  wo  haro  boen  greatly  favoroJ,  but^who  can  toll  what 
another  d.iy  may  bring  forth,  and  the  weather  wi»e  iasM  that  the  bnromo 
ter  never  j^s  ho  low  without  a  galo.  The  autieipation  of  cueh  a  thing  is 
certainl\/iiot  ealculated  to  Hot  one's  mind  at  rest,  beloiij^iured  !w  it  is  bj 
thi.'  fear  that  some  untoward  aecidmt  may  happen  to  the  Agnmeranon 
whieh  would  cause  the  rupture  of  tiii^  cable. 

At  twelveo'clook  to-day,  we  were  in  lat.  51  deg.  5  min.,  Ion.  38  depr. 
28  min.,  having  made  the  fallowing  run  •         ^  . 


Distance  miide  pood  by  observntion, 
H_v  MlupV  lop,  .... 

By  tiUfjiuovr's  loj^, 
Tfy  patent  lop,  •     '    . 


Mileii. 
j;!7 
14l| 

137  ti-10. 


— while  th^HHl^  of  callo  paid  out  during  the  prsccding  tweuty-fjur 
hoiir,^  w^t^HKfipeH  843  fathoui.«,  showing  a  surplus  of  22  miles  over 
the  dited^^^^^Wiieh  is  an  espendihire  of  ae\eute.en  per  cent.  Th,'. 
d.*'ptli^^f>8^  tarie.i  from  l.tifu  to  L'.'J.V*  faflioms.  Wind  ea.n  1)^ 
south-t  ot.  ^^i  Agamemnon  informed  u?  at  a  ipinvter  to  three  oVdock. 
I'.  M.,  bv  tol'.-graph  signal,  that  they  had  paid  out  300  miles  of  caiile 
up  to  tliat  time. 

Fourth  Pay — Auf/ust  1. 

Confidchc^'  is  growing  stronger,  nnd  there  is  oonbiderable  speeulatioD 
as  to  the  time  w(t  shall  re;n}h  Newfoundland.  The  pdot  who  ia  to  bring 
ua  into  Trinity  Jiay  ia  now  in  great  repute,  and  is  beeouiiiig  a  more  im- 
portant personage  every  day.  ItU  o{)inion  i.-t  .solicited  in  Tt.'gtird  to  the 
weatlior,  as  he  id  supposed  to  know  soiaetliicg  ahoui  it  lu  these  latitudes, 
and  he  i^  ]iartionhuly  catechized  on  the  navigation  of  the  bay  and  the 
formation  and  character  of  the  eoa.st.  We  are  really  b.tginning  to  have 
BU-oug  hop(!8  that  his  .services  will  1)0  called  inio  re.|uisition,  and  that  iu 
the  course  of  ji  few  days  more  we  will  be  in  sight  of  land.  The  night 
bas  passed  .without  accident,  the  barometer  is  rising,  and  the  wind  ha.^ 
»one  rouud  to  the  north-west,  a  t^ure  iiidieation  that  we  will  have  clear 
weather.  But  the  sea  is  not  at  all  <o  smooth  as  it  was  the  day  before, 
it  is  iu  fact  so  rough  art  to  favor  the  belief  tliat  there,  niu.-ft  havfc  been  a 
severe  gab;  a  short  time  mnce  in  these  latitudes.  The  wind  is  also  very 
perceptibly  increasing,  and*fiere  are  serious  misgivings  that  we  are  go 
ing  to  have  that  threatened  gale  now.  The  condition  of  the  vess^fis 
each  as  to  alarm  tw  grcrilly  for  the  safety  of  tlu;  cable,  should  it  come  on 
t  '^low  very  hajrift-'as  the  large  amount  alreadyjpaid  out,  uud  the  quan- 


■:'iS' 


THE   FINAL   EXl'ptMTtOK. 


201 


tlty  of  coal  consumed,  Imve  lighloned  Iw^r  m  much  a^  to  Tender  her 
raiher  uneany  in  aboavy  sea.    The  haromcUir  i»  ^t,iU  riMUg,  aud  rising  very 
rapidly  hut  th«  wind  U  iiu-rflaHing:  and  although  it  \m  i.  Cyit  attaiwd 
tho  magnitude  of  a  gale,  it  is  blowing  rather  fresh  for  ua  in  t^.reHent 
„nHottled  Btate  of  our  feelings.     It  is  not  a  In  ad  w  ind,  hovs-.'g|pd  that 
IK  greatly  in  our  (avor.     Both  wind  and  sea  arc  nearly  uhep^nd  the 
rolling  motion  which  tho  latter  Creates  brhigs  a  (.train  upon  the  .  able 
^hieh  giveg  rifle  to  tho  mo^t'unploaHant  feelings     Th<-  ,ea.  too,  ?eo.n-^  to 
bo  getting  worse  every  ininnto,  and  «trike.s  the  aWnder  wire  w.th  all  us 
force.     Every  surge  of  the  ship  nffcots  it,  and  a»-it  eut^  through  each 
wave,  it  makes  a  small  white  liar,  of  foam  to  mftrk  its  track.     The  «ig1itf 
of  that  threadlike  wire  battling  with  the  ^'ea,  produces  a  feeling  Home- 
what  akin  to  that  with  which  you  would  watch  the  struggles  of  a  drown- 
ing man,  whom  you  have  noi.  the  power  of  a^.isting.     Ycu  can  oidy  look 
on  and  trust  ei^ier  that  the  sea  will  go  down,  or  that  the  cubic  may  be 
able  to  resist  the  force  of  the  waves  suceessfully.     Of  the  for\uer  there 
is  very  little  prospect,  but  of  the  latter  there  is  every  reason  for  hope. 
The  struggle  has  been  going  on  now  for  several  hours,  and  there  is  no 
more  sign  of  the  cable  liarting  than  when  it  commeneed.     '1  h_..  eleetn- 
elans  rerK,rt  tke^tinuity  perfect,  and  the  signals  which  are  received  at 
intervals  fp^  the  Agamenmon,  show  that   that  vessel  is  gettil^  aloiig 
with  h<  r  /art  of  the  work  in  admirable  .tyle.     What  more  can  we  de- 
•-  ■'     Ves  there  is  something  inore ;  for,  although  wo  are  d.ung  so  woh. 
..^.^^nreasonablc  enough  to  wish  we  were  xloing  .better,  .Ir  rathe.r  to 
wish  tllat  we  had  done  altogether,  and  were  safe  'in  Trunty  L.y,  alter 
landing  the  cable.     We  are  still  more  unreasonable  to  wish-  that  we  w-^e 
steaming  up  the  bay  of  New  York;  and  that,  after  this  tcmhl.  eoutest 
between  fear  and  hope,  we  were  once  more  at  home  and  ainoog  «ur 
friends-at  home,  to  tell  them  of  all  we  have  seen  and    all  we  have 
done-how  we  have  fkiled  or  succeeded,  as  Providence  only  .-.an  deter- 
mine.    We  have  known  what  it  is  to  be  defeated  again  and  agaii. ;  and, 
'  although  som«  of  us  have  suffered  much  from  anxiety  and  w'.teh.ng,  we 
can  hardly  tell  ^mt  an  excess,  what  a  wild  delirium  of  joy,  success  ra:,y 
not  create  among  us.     But  this  is  anticipating  what  may  never  happen  ; 
foi*,  although  we  have  been  successful  thus  far,  who  can  say  we  will  con- 

tinue  so  to  the  end  ?  .  , 

It  woiUd  seem  impossible  that  where  there  is  so  much  anx.etj  and 
mental  uneasiness,  the  most  ludicrous  affair  could  e..eite  even  a. smile; 
and  why  it  should  be  otherwise  let  the  philosophic  say.  An  inculent 
illustrative  of  this  remark  was  afforded  "lis  afternoon,  jus^abont  dinner 
time. 


b 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


'^ 


362 


THK   OCKAW   TKI,fiOKArn. 


'■1 


if?, 


S 


III: 


P  !t 


III 


8-   ! 


li'^. 


I)  •■ 


"  Well,"  said  a  member  of  one  cf  the  ritoses,  approaohing  some  of  hLs 
asBociateg,  ."  woll,  it  ia  done  at  last." 

"  What  i«  done  ?"  said  half  a  dozen,  with  the  most  impatient  hasto; 
"  What  x»  done,  the  cabled  " 

"  The  cabhe  ?  No,  ainner  is  done  !  "  he  replied,  with  a  tone  of  div 
gust  that  jhowod,  however  hi*  .comrades  might  regard  his  remark,  he 
certainly  did  not  intend  it  aa  a  jok«.  Thoy  laughed,  however,  a,s  maeh 
afl  if  It  were  intended  for  one,  probably  more  because  his  explanation 
relieved  their  minds  from  the' apprehension  that  it- was  reaUy  the  caW,' 
he  spoke  of.  However  improbable  it  may  appear,  there  are  some  who 
seem  to  think  less  of  their  own  lives  than  they  do  of  the  tarred  liflo  now 
running  over  the  stem ;  and  there  are  few  who  would  not  risk  ibeir  own 
safety  to  secure  that  of  the  cable.  This  is  paramount  to  all  other  con- 
Biderations,  and  erery^  one  feels  that  it  is  so,  from  the  apprentice  boy  up 
to  the  captain. 

We  hWe  made  a  better  nS  to-day  than  during  any  twenty-four 
hours  since  we  started.     Atl'J  o'clock  we  were  in  lat.  hO  deg.  82  min 
long.  41  deg.  55  min.,  having  made  from  189  to  145  miles,  as  is  shown 
by  the  following : 


Distance  run  by  observation, 
"  Ship's  log, 

JKiiginners  log, 
"  Patent  log, 


145  miles. 
1.39     " 

142     " 
141  7-10 


In  running  this  dLstai^e  we  have  paid  out  164  miles  683  fathoms  of 
cable,  which  shows  a  surplii^f  19  miles  683  fathoms  over  the  distance 
run  by  observation.^r  about  14  per  cent.  The  depth  of  the  witer  varies 
from  2,424  to  1,950  fathoms,  and  the  wind,  which  blew  from  W  N  W 
freshened  very  considerably.  It  did  not,  however,  attain  the  force  of  J 
gale  and  what  was  still  more  gratifying,  began  to  fall  as  night  approached, 
while  the  barometer  ooutinued  rising. 

Fifth  Day—Ausrust  2. 

At  BOTon  o'clock  this  morning  a  steamer  was  ireported  o<,ming  from 
the  westward,  and  steering  directly  on  our  conrM^  What  vessel  could  it 
be?  Not  the  Poronpibe,  which  the  Britwh  ga#mment  despatched  to 
Trinity  Bay  to  look  out  for  the  Niagara  on  her  arrival.  No.  it  could 
not  be  the  Porcupine,  for  she  would  not  cotno  out  bo  far.  It  must  be  one 
of  the  Boston  or  New  York  steamers,  which  had  followed  the  oour«e  of 
the  Telegraph  plateau  for  the  express  purpose  of  meeting  and  speaking 
||ie  Niagara.  Yes,  it  must  certainly  be  from  either  of  these  places.  A 
few  minutes  more,  however,  will  place  the  matter  beyond  conjecture. 

In  half  an  hour  from  the  time  at  which  she  was  reported  wo  disoov 


^- 


Dg  some  of  his 

patient  haato; 

»  tone  of  dh- 
is  remark,  ln^ 
iver,  as  njaeli 
8  explanation 
lily  the  caWt' 
»ro  some  who 
rred  liqo  now 
isk  ihfiir  own 
all  other  con 
entice  boy  up 

'  twenty-four 

Jeg.  82  uiin., 

as  is  shown 


5  miles. 
9     " 

2  " 

1  7-10 

3  fathoms  of 
the  distance 
witer  varies 
1  W.  N.  W., 
le  force  of  u 
approached, 


x.ming  from 
ssel  could  it 
mpatohed  to 
ro,  it  eould 
must  be  one 
le  coarse  of 
d  speaking 
planes.  A 
ijecture. 
wo  disoov- 


THK  FIKAL  EXPEDITION. 


'^ 


368 


ered  that  she  was  a  Boston  steamer  bound  for  Liverpool.     On  coming  up 
to  the'Gorgou  she  slowed  dowu,  and  .finally  stopped  to  make  signals  with 
our  escort,  from  w'lich  she  learned  the  mission  on  which  we  are  employed, 
as  well  as  the  Buccese  that,  has  attended  u?  thus  far.     As  it  was  impossi- 
ble for  the  Gorgon  to  stop,  the  steamer  turned  off  licr  course,  and  pro- 
ceeded westward  with  ber  until  she  obtained  all  the  Information  she  cduld 
glean.     Then  stopping  and  waiting  till  wc  cagie  up,  she  displayed  a  signal 
which  we  supposed  indicated  her  number  or  name,  but  which  we  were 
unable  to  make  out.     Her  declf  was  liu-rally  crowded  with  passengers, 
and  from  what  we  could  see  of  them  through  the  glass,  it  w«8  erident 
that  they  were  watching  us  with  the  greatest  interest     Capt.  Hudson 
ha*l  the  telegraph  flag  displayed  at  the  mizen,  and  as  it  is  of  somewhat 
gigantic  dimensions,  with  the  words  "Atlantic  Telegraph"  wrought 
upoj  it  in  large  letters,  they  bad  no  difficulty  in  determining  who  and 
what  we  were.     Then,  too,  if  they  could  not  discern  the  delicate  line 
between  our  stern  and' the  water,  they  must  certainly  have  seen  the  wheel 
over  which  it  was  paid  out,  rerolving  with  a,  speed  that  showed  we  were 
doing  our  work  rapidly  and  well.     The  rate  of  paying  out  had  reached 
seven  miles  an  hour,  and  we  were  going  through  the  water  at  from  five 
to  six.     How  different  from  the  expedition  of  last  year,  when  the  speedy 
of  the  ship  hardly  exceeded  an  average  of  four  miles  per  hour !     After 
watching  us  for  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  the  steamer  proceeded  on  her 
course,  dipping  her  flag  to  us  as  she  went— a  compliment. which  was 
promptly  returned.'    Le-w  than  an  hour  after  she  had  disappeared  below 
the  horizon,  and  we  could  only  trace  her   ccjB^*  by  the  black  line  of 
gmoko  she  left  along  the  sky.  .f^    "  '  . 

There  was  a  very  heavy  swell,  like  that  left  after  a  gale,  during  the 
'  whole  of  this  dav,  and  our  ship  r  died  as  she  never  rolled  before,  and  as 
wchad  hardly  considerfid  her  capable  of  doing.     The  cable,  however, 
^   exhibited  no  sign  of  parting,  and  ran  out  at  an  angle  with  the  water  that 
showed  that  it  was  not  affected  by  a  strain  greater  than  the  eighteen 
hundred  pounds  which  had  been^put  npon  the  brakes.     As  for  the  ma- 
chinery itself,  nothing  could  be  more  perfect  than  the  way  it  worked- 
no  jarring,  no  irrcgukrity  of  motion,  but  every  thing  in  and  about  it 
was  as  steady  and  as  perfect  in  its  operation  as  clock-work.     It  has  been 
.  running  four  days  altogether,  and  is  just  a»  reliable  now  as  when  it  was 
aet  in  motion  after  the  spUce  was  lowered  in  mid-ocean.     The  tar  which 
is  pressed  out  of  the  cable  as  it  passes  over  the  ^Ooved  wheels,  collects 
in  large  qoanlities;  but  the  scrapers,  which  the  wise  foresight  6f  Mr. 
Everett  provided,  prevent  it  from  accumulating  in  the  wheels  and  clog- 
Kin*  their  action.     The  brakes  have  never  once  failed,  and  never  allow 
the  strain  upon  the  cable  to  exceed  the  pressure  of  the  weights.     They 


^ 


.1    ■% 


■■J 


/" 


264 


THE  OCEAK  TKLKOEAPH. 


•. 


are  properly  callea  self-releaBing,  and  althongh  they  can,  by  means  of 
additional  weights,  be  made  to  increase  the  pressaro  or  strain  njwn  the 
cable,  yet,  until  those  weights  are  still  further  increased,  it  is  impossible 
to  augment  that^train  in  any  other  way.     Whether  we  are  successful  or 
not,  no  fault  can  be  found  with  the  machinery.     The  ship  may  roll  still 
worse  than  she  does  now— and  that  is  fcad  enongh— but  it  is  jiot  in  the 
least  aflected  by  her  motion,  and  pays  out  as  steadily  and  as  easily  in  a 
heary  swell  as  if  there  was  not  a  ripple  on  the  sea.     The  cloud  of  steam 
which  rises  from  it,  and  which  occasionally  envelopes  the  operatives, 
proves  how  indispensable  the  use  of  water  is  in  working  the  brakes,  ff.r 
the  heat  produced  by  the  friction  is  so  great,  that  if  not  kept  down  it 
would  char  and  burn  up  the  elm  blocks  in  a  very  short  time.     Several 
gaUons  of  water  are  consumed  daily  by  the  f.iction  of  the  brakes,  and 
thrown  off  in  clouds  of  steam,  sometimes 'as  dense  as  that  Which  is  blown 
off  by  a  locomotive.     Large  quantities  of  tar  nre  pressed  out  of  the  f>able 
as  it  enters  and  leaves  the  machine,  and  fall  into  tubs  which  arc  left    ear 
the  machine  for  its  reception.     Of  this  stuff  a  couple  of  ordinary  sized 
barrels  full  are  collected  each  day  and  thrown -overboard.     It  is  all-per- 
1  vading,  and  besmears  every  thing  about  it  within  a  distance-bf  twenty  feet. 
The  course  of  the  cable  is  marlM^  one  continuoiis  black  line,  and 
.small  feathery-looking  flakes  of.|||Pwhirled  through  the  air,  besmear- 
ing every  thing  they  touch,    ^ome^arts  of  the  ship  look  as  if  a  heavy 
shower  of  it  had  fallen,  and  ia  others  it  has  become  hard  as  it  accumu- 
lated, and  formed  into  littl^j  mounds.     The. front  of  the.  dynamometer 
has  changed  its  original  green  color,  and  is  now  almost  entirely  black, 
while  the  operativ«ii  at  work  at  and  around  the  machine  are  covered  with 
large  patches  of  the  Rama  color.     Yet  with  all  its  disadvantages  it  would 
be  a  4ifficult  matter  to  get  along  without  the  tar,  for  it  lias  proved  the 
greatest  preserver  that  could  be  found  for  the  cable. 

I  have  said  that  despite  the  bad  weather  and  teavy  sea  the  paying- 
out  process  was  going  on  well,  but  during  the  night  the  continuity  was 
again  affrfetcd,and  althongh  it  was  restored  and  became  as  strong  as  ever, 
yet  it  was  fo^  about  three  hours  a  very  unpleasant  affair.  It  was  subset' 
quently  found  that  the  diflSculty  was  caused  by  a  defect  of  insulation  in 
a  part  of  the  wardroom  coil,  which  was  cut  out  in  time  to  prevent  any 
serious  consequences.  There  were  only  a  few  on  boarcl,  the  ship,  how- 
CKf  r,  aware  of  the  ocfetlrrence  until  after  the  defect  was  removed,  wjd  the 
CTectrical  communication  was  re-established  between  the  twp  ships.  Both 
Mr.  Laws  and  Mr.  Do  Sauty,  the  two  ele^ricians  on  th«^  Niagara,  were  of 
the  opinion  that  the  insulation  was  broken  in  some  part  of  the  wardroom 
coil,  and  on  using  the  tests  for  the  purpose  of  isoertaining  the  precise 
point,  they  found  that  it  was  about  sixty  miles  from  the  bottom  of  that 


■e 


THK  FINAL   EXPF.mTION. 


coil,  aiitl  betw^ien  three  and  four  hundred  from  the  part,  wliich  waH  thon 
paying-out.  The  cable  was  immediately  out  ut  this  point  and  spliced  to 
a  deck  coil  of  ninety  miloH,  which  it  w&.*  intended  to  reserve  f  r  laying 
in  shallow  water,  and  was  therefore  kept  for  Trinity  Bay.  About  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning  the  continuity  was  finally  restored,  and  .-xll  was 
going  on  as  well  as  if,  nothing  had  occurred  to  disturb  the  conlideneo  w# 
felt  in  the  success  of  the  expedition. 

A^.  noon  wo  wore  in  latitude  4Sf  52'.  longitude  45'^  87',  and  hUd  run, 
by  observation,  154.  Uiik*.  and  by  log  as  follows  : 


rty  sliip's  lo(r, 
\iy  eiifjiiiecr'fl  log, 
I5y  patent  log, 


1 U        miles. 
HI   0-rt     " 
141  a-10  " 


The  length  of  cable  paid  out  was  177  milea  150  fathoms  for  the  pre- 
ceding 24  hours,  which  is  a  surplus  of  2.3  miles  100  fathoms  over  the 
diatanct!,  or  1.5  per  cent.  The  depth  of  wa^  was  from  2,385  to  1,G00 
fathoms.  Wind  north.  The  signals  which  have  been  received  ft^ni  the 
Agamemnon  inform  us  that  she  is  paying  out  at  the  rate  of  seven  and 
eif'hr  miles  an  hour,  from  which  we  derive  the  assurance  tliat  she  has 
fine'woather,  and  that  like  ourselves,  she  is  making  the  most  pf  it.  The 
nighfrhassctin  fine;  the  barometer  continues  rising,  and  although  the 
vessel  still  rolls  considerably,  we.have  had  expc;-lenco  enough  to  tell  us 
there  is  nothyjg  to  be  feared  from  this  motion.  It  is,  however,  impos- 
sible to  throw  oflf  the  feeling  of  uneaainess  created  by  the  interruption 
of  the  electrical  communication,  and  those  of 'us  who  have  a  more  ner- 
vous te.mp'bramont  find  it  a  difficult  matter  to  sleep.  The  writer  tried 
hard  for  something  like  four  long  hours  to  get  into  that  blissful  state  of 
obliviopt'but  it  was  of.no  us<3 ;  it  was  impossible  to  think  of  any  thing  else 
but  the  cable ;  and  abandoning  the  attempt,  be  got  up,  and  passed  the 
remainder  of  the  night  in  visits  to  the  coil,  to  the  machine,  the  stern  of 
a.the  ship,  and  the  electrical  department. 


inbfis 


Sixth  Day — August  3. 
This  is  tho.  anniversary  of  the  day  on  which'  Christopher  Columb 
'^sailed  on  his  voyage  of  discovery  to  America — is  it  to  be  still  further 
^    signalized  as  one  of  those- on  which  tho  work  of  connecting  the  Old  and 
the  New  Worlds, was  accomplished?^  Ileaven  grant  that  'it  may  be  so, 
although  it  seems  almost  .like  presnpiption  to  hope.     And  yet  there  is -a 
strong  undercurrent  of  confidence  that  is  often  the  precursor  of  sncccss, 
aUhough  we  are  still  about  two  hundred  miles  from  land,  and  a  kink^in 
th  cable,  or  a  hole  running  through  the  gutta  percha  into  the  con- 
ductor—and through  which  you  could  not  even  force  a  hair— would  ren- 
der the  labo^  of  years  utterly  unavailing,  we  are  so  confident  now,  tha»^ 


^il 


266 


THE  QCKAN  TELEGRAPH. 


we  arc  oalculating  on  seeing  land  to-mo(row  morning  sometime  -ibout  cdx 
o'clock,  as  the  observation  which  was  taken  at  noon  to-day  shows  that 
it  is  not  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  off. 

The  great  work  of  this  morning  wa.s  the  change  from  the  fore  hold 
coil  to  that  in  the  wardroom,  which  are  at  least  tyro  hundred  feet  apart. 
This  took  place  at  eight  o'clock  iu  the  morning,  and  as  the  time  was 
known  to  all  on  board,  there  was  even  a  larger  crowd  assembled  to  wit- 
ness it  than  I  obpurvcd  at  any  of  the  other  changes.  It  was  considered 
a  mo.st  critical  time,  and  although  the  operation  turned  out  to  bo  very 
simple,  it  was  anticipated  by  some  with  considerable  uneasiness.  The 
splice  between  the  two  coils  had  been  made  some  hours  in  advance,  and 
men  were  stationed  all  along  the  line  of  its  course  from  the  hold  to  thi" 
wardroom.  Mr.  Everett  and  Mr.  Woodhouse  were  Iwth  on  hand,  the 
best  men  had  been  picked  out  to  pass  np  the  bight,  or  bend,  when  the 
last  turn  should  be  reached,  and" one  man,  named  Henry jPaiue,  a  splice^^, 
was  .specially  appointed  to  walk  forward  with  the  bight  to  the  after  or 
wardroom  coil.  As  tlie  last  flake  was  labout  to^a'paid  out,  the  ship 
was  slowed  down,  and  by  the  time  the  last  three  6r/pur  turns  came  to 
be  paid  out,  she  could  hardly  be  said  to  be  moving  through  the  water. 
The  line' came  up  more  slowly  from  the  hold,  until  they  were  nearing 
the  bight,  where  it  could  not  havij  been  going  out  faster  than  half  "a  mile 
an  hour.  One  more  turn  and  the  bight  comes  up.  The^e  is  not  a  sound 
to  bo  heard  from  the  <;rowd,  who  are  watching  it  with  eager  and  anxious 
faces  from  every  point  of  view.  No  one  speaks  or  lias  ventured  to  speak 
for  the  last  minute,  except  the  engineers,  and  they  have  very  little  to 
Bay,  for  tlieir  orders  are  conveyed  in  the  most  laconic  style,  and  the 
quick  *'  aye,  aye  ! "  of  the  men  show  that  they  understand  the  full  value 
of  time.  "  Now,  men,"  says  Mr.  Everett,  "  look  out  for  the  bight,"  as 
tho.se  in  the  hold  hand  it  up  to  the  men  on  the  orlop  deck,  and  it  is 
paflsed  #ro|n  hand  to  hand  till  it  reaches  the  platform  and  long  passage 
which  has  been  built  upon  the  spaf  deck  for  this  part  of  the  work. 
Here  the  bight  arrives  at  last,  and  Paine  takes  it  in  his  hand,  paying 
out  as  he  follows  the  line  of  the  cable  to  the  wardroom  coil.  How 
anxiously  the  men  watoh  him  as  he  walks  that  terrible  distance  of  two 
hundred  feet,  add  think  that  if  he  ^oald  happen  to  trip  or  stumble  while 
he  holds  that  bight  in  his  hand,  toe  great  enterprise  may  end  in  disaster. 
It  is  not  a  difficult  task,  but  how  of^en  have  thibgs  tliat  are  so  easily 
performed,  been  defeated  by  want  of  ^spolnesa  .  There  is,  however,  such 
an  easy  self-possession  about  the  nian  as  he  comes  slowly  after  the  long 
black  line,  that  it  in,sj)ir:p8  confid^pee.  "  All  hands"  have  deserted  the 
decks  below,  and  foUov-  him  as  he  walks  aft,  and  one  in  but  impatience 
to  get  a  glimpse  of  him,  has  nearly  fallen  through  the  skylight  of  the 


TUB  nNAL  EXPEPrnON, 


96T 


engine-room,  in  which  ho  has  smashed  several  panes  of  glass  in  the  effort 
to  save  himself.  "  Pick  up  the  pieces,"  says  Paine,  in  a  vein  of  quiet 
hiunor,  as  he  proceeds  on  his  coarse,  without  inlcrrnption,  and  coming 
up  to  the  wheel,  which  is  immediately  above  the  wardroom,  he  straight- 
ens the  bight,  and  the  cable  begins  to  run  uut  from  the  top  of  the  coil^ 
on  the  deck  beneath.  Ili^  work  is  done,  and  as  the  Hue  passcH  out  o^ 
his  hands,  he  receives  a  round  of  applause  from  tlte  hands  <^f  the  h|)C« 
tators,  who,  but  for  those  terrible  navy  rules,  would  have  greeted  him 
with  a  cheer  tliat  would  have  done  his  heart  good.  As  it  is,  they  must 
^ve  vent  to  their  feelings  in  some  way,  and  the  exclamations  of  "  Well 
done!"  "  That's  the  fellow!"  "By  thunder,  ifs  all  right!"  "Good 
boy,  Paine  ! "  are  noioi j>ad  compromise  after  all.  Besides,  it  might  be 
rather  premature  at  this  time  to  indulge  in  any  triumphant  expression 
of  feeling  before  we  are  even  in  sight  of  land. 

All  the  signals  we  have  received  from  the  Agamemnon  are  most  en- 
oouragiug,  and  shottr  that  up  to  the  present  moment  she  has  been  as  for- 
tunate and  successful  as  ourselves.     If  her  per  contage  of  loss  does  not 
ezeecd  ours,  she  will  doubtless  land  the  end  of  her  half  of  the  cable  at 
twelve  o'clock  to-morrow.     As  we  have  some  sixty  miles  further  to  go 
before  we  reach  the  bay  of  Bull's  Arm,  which  is  at  the  head  of  Trinity 
Bay,  wo  cannot  accomplish  our  part  of  the  work  before  seven  or  eight 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  it  is  doubtful— on  account  of  the  condition 
of  a  portion  of  the  cable  which  wo  have  yet  to  pay  out — whether  we  can 
do  even  that.   "  The  defective  part,  which  was  discovered  yesterday  in 
the  wardroom  coil,  rendered  it  absolutely  necessary  to  cut  about  sixty 
miles  of  it  off,  and  to  splice  the  severed  end  to  the  quarter-deck  coil  of 
ninety  miles.     This  part  of  the  line  has  been  coiled  so  often,  that  it  is 
bent  and  twisted  to  such  an  extent  as  to  render  it  difficult  to  pay  it  out' 
as  fast  as  the  other  parts  with  safety.     For  this  reason  our  lauding  will 
be  delayed  much  longer  'than  we  expected,  and  it  is  hardly  probable  that 
we  will  be  able  to  get  into  tke  bay  of  Bull's  Attn  before  Thorsday 
morning,  the  5th  instant. 

The  observation  taken  at  noon  to-day,  places  us  in  latitude  49 
deg.  17  min.,  longitude  49  deg.  23  min.,  showing  that  wo  hive 
run  since  twelve  o'clock  yesterday,  147  miles.     Our  run,  according  to 

tiie  different  logs,  is  as  foltows :  \ 

■  \ 

By  ship's  log .187    mllcft.  ■ 

By  engineer'g  log,         ....        188i      " 
By  paunt  log,  .  .        •    134i     " 

Ib  making  this  distance,  161  miles  763  fathoms  of  cable  were  paid 
'  out,  which  sbowa  a  surplus  of  14  miles  613  fethoras  expended,  or  an  ex- 


* 


208 


THB  OOBAM  TXtKOBAPB. 


oew  of  ten  per  cent.     The  depth  of  water  vapicd  from  882  to  742 
fathoms.     Wind  north-west. 

At  h»lf-past  two  the  Gorgon  made  a  si^  to  us,  which,  translated 
from  the  numbers,  reads  as  follows  : 

"  I  congratnlate  joa  on  your  snocess." 

To  this  the  following  signal  was  sent : 

'"  Accept  my  best  thlwiks." 

The  weather  was  ms^ificent,  and  the  surface  of  the  ocean  was  hardly 
disturbed  by  a  ripple.     I  have  stated  that  the  wind  was  W.N  W    and 
that  18  what  the  log  of  the  ship  says,  but  at  times  there  was  not  enough 
to  waft  a  feather,  «id  the  day  was  one  of  the  mildesf  that  this  high 
•  nortiiern  latitude  h.^  ever  seen.     There  mik  no  indication  of  fog,  unless 
the  light  summer  haze  that  rested  over  tho  water  <iould  be  tortured  into 
the  name.     We  saw  several  icebergs,  some  of  the  most  gigantic  dimen- 
slons,  rising  to  an  altitude  of  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  feet.     They  were 
fashioned  into  a  wonderful  variety  of  forms,  castles,  towers,  forte,  Oothio 
church  sfiiros  columns,  and  one  had  a  gigantic  arch  that  seemed  to  rest 
oji  columns  of  emerald.^  The  effect  of  the  sun  upon  this  was  magnificent 
Ihe  rays  striking  upon  the  clear  green  surfaee  of  the  icy  columns  the 
upper  part  of  which  were  cot^red  with  a  sbguliriy  fantastic  fretwork, 
reflected  themselves  in  all  the  hues  of  the  rainbow.     As  our  vessel  pro- 
ceeded  on  her  course  the  position  of  the  berg  was  entirely  altered,  and 

tLT  r  """  ^"^  "^^  ^"*^^^  '^  »»«"  »>«f«re,  was  trans, 

fomed  into  a  mass.re  fort,  with  parapets  and  afl  the  works  of  offence 
and  defence  While  looking  at  another,  the  crest  of  which  rose  above 
the  water  like  a  mountain  peak,  it  fell  apart,  and  sinking  below  the  su^ 
foce  for  a  few  momenta,  rose  again  in  an  entirely  different  form.  One 
part  resembled  a  Lu-ge  cliff  with  precipitous  sides,  in  one  of  which  was  a 
miniature  ba;^,  on  whose  shores  the  swell  of  the  sea  broke  in  foam.  The 
slgr  was  one  expanse  of  deep  blue,  except  immediately  over  our  heads. 

There  was^somethmg  so  remarkable  in  its  form  and  appearance  that 
those  who  felt  inclined  to  look  upon  it  as  an  auspicious  ^iT^^^ 
^Heaven  intended  thus  to  crown  our  success.  L  mark Ttilc^ 
agement  of  the  enterprise. 

..      The  calm  that  rested  on  the  waters  during  the  day  wa«  prolomred 

Ere  tm  ^IT^f*",  ""T*  °P  »^«^«  *)>«  ^''ter  «ke  immense  rocks. 
There  will  be  httle  sleeping  on  board  the  Niagara  this  night  for  early 


A''T~& 


tvp:, 


"W^ 


,ry*M^iv\. 


tST^'sSir  ir.izc^v^' 


i-\JV'' 


^» 


THE   FINAL.    KXI'KDITMN. 


209 


Seventh  day — A  wjust  X. 

The  morning  of  thin  day  will  bo  inoinoraMo  in  the  history  of  the  world, 
as  that  on  which  the  Niagara  firsrr.uiK!  in  sijrht  of  thf  inland  outpost  of 
tho   Aiuoriciiu  cOiitinent,  bearing  to  its   hhoros  ono  cijjl. of  that  great 
eloctric  chain  v-hidi  is  to  destroy  both  time  and  diigtanoo,  and  bring  tlie 
Old  World  Into  thi:  closost  coinmuniouwith  tho  New     It  is  an  occasion  f 
only  second  to  that  on  which  the  cablo  will  h«.  landed  at  the  tcriaina*  of 
tho  great  ocean  line.  .  And  what  a  movninj;  this  is,  so  bright  and  so  . 
clear;, within  a  few  milos  of  the  shorcM  of  a  country  winch  has  l>ceu  truly 
termed  the  land  of  fogs!     Tlierc  is  iiot  a  breath  of  air,  and  were  lt,not 
for  its  ever  heaving  pulse,  the  ocean  would  lu  us  still  and  as  motionlesa     » 
as-the  depths  of  the  great  jilateau  itself.     As  everybody  is  anxious  W    '/•' 
see  the  laud,  everybody  is  on  tho  lookout.     Tha  men  in  the  foretop  are 
not  sutisficd  with  that  elevation,  and  ha^c  gone  tip  some  fifty  or  sixty 
feet  higher,  while  the   main   a\id   niizen-iua.^ts  have  each  a  uuniber  of 
volunteers,  every  ono  of  whom  ejjpects  to  be  the  fir.~t  to  report  laud.   The 
forecastle  has  its  loiik-out.s  too,  although  there  is  uo  prospect  of  their 
getting  ahead  of  tho  others. 

At  seven  o'cjock  land  was  rcpwted  from  the  rmiin-mast,  but  the  re- 
port was'  a  little  premature,  for  it  was  nut  really  seen.     About  eight, 
howe\er,  the  jBhocring  cry  of  "  land  ho  !  '  ^^^  through  the  ship  like  a 
clarion  note  of  triumph.     Land  at  la^t,  an^mx  day.s  of  8uch  anxiety    » 
and  ^lu.Sjmnse  as  few  men  ever  pass  through — sil'days  of  weary  watching, 
of  fev<.'rish  ri'stleesness,  and  ending  in  nights  that  brought  no  repose 
Land  at  last — yes,  there  it  is,  defined  boldly  and  distinctly  against  the 
western  horixon.     Oh  !  friends  at  homo,  wlio  believed  we  could  not  suc- 
ceed, and  who  trembled  its  you  read  of  that  fearful  gale,  and  the  dangers 
tlirough  which  we  passed,  liad  you  seen  the  glowing   aces,  and  the  tear? 
of  joy  that  filled  the  eyes  of  alt  as  we  gazed  upon  the  glad  sight  for  hours, 
you  too  would  have  felt  as  we  felt.     With  what  deep  earnestness  we 
thought  then  of  home,  and  how  we  conjured  up  before  our  mental  vision 
tho  glad  faces  that  would  welcome  us  ou  our  arrival !     What  a  scene  of 
wild  excitement  New  York  will  present  as  the  news  that  tlie  "  imprac- 
ticable enterprise  "  has  succeeded,  :md  t!|ut  in  little  ^nore  than  a  week 
the  Niagara  will  make  her  appearance  in  jits  bay  !    But  the^ioicc  of  cau- 
tion warn.<?  against  too  sanguine  auticiiiati'jiis,  and  reminds  us  of  the 
truth  of  the  unw^elcome  proverb  wjhich  overybody  knows,  ^ 

As  we  approach  the  land,  wo'  'see  more  icebergs,  mma  of.  wliic*!!  ar'! 
floating  in  the  Imiv,  aud  others  lybg  grounded  on  or  near  its  shores 
These  bergs  have  asMimcd  the  mo.st  reWiarkable  shapes,  and  are  under- 
going singular  changes.     There  is  one  'Wspt;nded  in  mid-air,  over  an- 


■X. 


270 


THE   rtORAN    TKLKORAPI^ 


f« 


Other,  of  wliich  it  Ms  a  perfect,  though  inverted  fac  Hiir.ile.  The  land 
-  Itself  aj,p,;,rrt  to  W  undergoing  no  lf,8s  wonderful  tran.sformaMons,  and 
where  hut  a  few  hriefniinut(*iig<j  there  was  nothing  vinible  h.it  th<;  rugge8 
and  wild-l.wlcing  coast  inountaini.,  towns  and  viikgos  hare  Ki)ru.ig  up,  as. 
if  the  barr(!n  shores  had  heen  touched  with  a.  magician  «  wand  and  be-' 
come  an  enchanted  land.  Far  off,  m  far  as  the  vision  can  re.ioh,  apponr, 
a  HtupeiidouB  railroad  bridge,  sujiportcd  hy  a  hundred  abutincnta ;  but 
hardly  has  the  eye  restfri^on  it  b(  fore  the  abutments  fade  away,  and  a 
mountain  with  its  ptaka  doirtH^ards  and  its  base  suspended  iu  air  -takes 
its  piaoo.  What  strange  land  >s-.^his  that  startles  the  mind  with  its 
wondcrn  ?  It  is  bleak,  barren,  rocky;foggy,  wourtUlnoas  Ne>  foundland, 
and  there  J^foro  us  is  the  entfance  to  Trinity  Bay,  near  the  head  of' 
which  the  cable  is  to  be  landed. 

The  cities,  and  villages,  and  mountains  suspended  in  mid-air  with 
their  jK^aks  downward,  are  simply  so  many  forms  of  the  mirage,  on 
which  wo  have  been  gazing  in  bewildered  astpnishment  for  several  hours 
pa*Jt.  r 

It  is  now  half-past  two  o'clock,  and  we  arc  entering  Trinity  Hay  at 
a  speed  of  sev.;u  and  a  half  knots  an  hour,  paying  out   the  iJahle  at  a 
very  siight  increase  on  the  same  rate.     The  curve  whi  h   it  forms   be- 
tween the  shij)  a'nd  the  water  proves  that  there  is  little  <  ,■  no  strain  upon  , 
It,  and  proves  also  another  thing,  that  it  can  be  run  out  at^eight,  nine 
and  r  believe  ten  miles  with  thi?  greatest  safety.     This,  however,  as  T 
have  previously  stated,  cannot  be  done  with  old   cable  that  haJ  \^en 
coiled  so  often  as  to  have  a  tendency  to  kink,  and  there  is,  as  has  /{)eon 
already  intifuated,  some  of  this  kind  which  we  will  be  obliged  t^  pay 
out  before  lairing.     A  signal,  signifying  "  all  well,"  ha?  been  jreceived  ^ 
from  the  AgataemnoB,  which  must  now  be  on  the  point  of  landing  her 
cable  in  ValeuL  Bay,   Ireland,  which  is  about  1,640  mile?  from  our 
present  position! 

There  is  as  ^jet  no  sign  of  the  Porcupine,  the  steamflsr  which  was 
sent  out  by  the  British  government  to  await  our  urriva],,and  render  its 
any  assistance  welmight  require ;  and  we  ffcar  she  has  gone  round  to  St. 
John's,  having  ablndoned  all  hojve,  ^fter  our  failure/in  July,  of  ever 
seeing  the  Niagara!  The  only  sign  of  life  we  have  ^t  seen  is  that  pre- 
80»ted  by  a  few  fisBing  smacks,  wlioso  occupants  se^fm  to  know  who  and 
what  wo  are,  but  who,  with  one  exception,  have  not  exhibited  the  slight; 
est  enthusiism.  T  lis  individual  waved  his  hat  tiree  or  four  times,  and** 
gave  other  indicaticns  of  hi.<»  i)loasyre  at  seeing' us,  and  this  is  the  only 
.demonstration  ^  hive  yet  received  of  a  priNrate  or  public  character. 

A  few  minutes-i  pa.st  five  a  steamer  wa/ reported  itf  the  ba}-,  and 
Boon  after  she  was  iiade  out  to  bo  the  Por/upine.     In  half  an  hour,  her 


rilK  FINAL   EXrKDmoN. 


371 


conimlui(lor,  OapUiti  Otter,  came  aboard,  and  l.ad  a  conmiUalion  with 
Mc.  rield  and  Captain  Ihidi-oii.  Ho  had,  lio  said,  givon  up  all  hopo'of 
seeing  the  Niagara,  but  had  ncvcrlheluPH  pcmted  look  outs  on  Bull's 
Island,  which  coraraaDds  a  view  of  the  bay  and  a  long  distance  out  to 
Boa.  The  minute  he  heard  of  her  arrival  ho  sent  a  tol.igraphio  despatch 
to  St.  John's,  to  not«-y  the  piioplc  there  of  the  fact.  Mr,  Field  himsidf 
soon  after  went  up  to  the  telegraph  8l:itiou,  wbidi  is  fifUion  miles  from 
whore  our  ship  now  is,  wHh  deapatchoH  for  New  York,, and  which,  al- 
lowing for  Uie  difference  in  time  between  the  two  places,  will  ke  received 
there  to-night  at  least  an  hour  earlier  than  they  art  aent. 

The  Gorgoi^hoiBted  the  Amerjoan  flag  some  hours  ago  at  the   fore, 
an4  the  Niagara  carries  the  Englifth  at  the  fore,  while  the  telegraph  flag 
floats  from  her  n.izen.     Our  progress  up  the  bay  is  rather  slow,  on  ac 
count  of  the  condition  of  the  cable,  already  ulludod  to  ;  and  it  is  now 
sottiied  that  we  cannot  get  to  our  landing-place  near  the  station-  before 
to-morrow  morning.     We  are  paying  out  the  cable  at  three  nnles  an 
b4r,  and  M  it  is  dark,  the  Poreupine  goes  ahead,  and  leads  the  wi^ 
tiwards  the  Bay  of  Bull's  Arm.     The  bleak  mouutain.i  loom  up  through 
le  night,  and  a  huge  bou^re,  wliieh  has  been  built  up  in  honor  of  our 
Irival  on  a  neighboring  hill,  throws  out  colmnns  of  dcum  black  smoke 
'  Ind  great  tongues  of  flame.     It  is  a  strange  scene,  of  which  our  ah.p  is    • 
low  the  centre,  and  in  which  she  is  the  principal  object.     The. moon 
Umt  yet  risen,  but  it  is  not  so  dark  us  to  prevent  yo,  r  seeing,  though 
ihlistincily,  to  a  considerable  disUnee.     The  after-dcck  coil,  from  which 
tU  <»«tM1?  goinR  «"*'  "^  illuminated  with  luinps",  and  about  a  down 
m«»  arllltSing  around  the  circle,  ready   to  pounce  upon  any  kinks 
that  may  make  their  appearance.     The  work  is  continued  8uca,.ssfuly 
to  the  end  of  this  day  ;  and  as  there  arci  but  a  few  more  miles  ^f  cable 
to  be  paid  out,  ii  will  belauded  to-morrow  morning.   ^ 
■      According  to  obserration  to-day,  the  latitude  was  48°  17  ,  longitudoF 
52°  43',  showing  the  distance  run  to  bo  146  miles.     The  length  of  c^lo 
paid  out  was  154  miles  360  fathoms,  the  loss  on  which  did  not  exceed  b 
per  cent.     Depth  of  'water  fronx  742  to  200  fathoms. 

^  /  LANDING  OF  THE  CABLE. 

Eighth  Day— Aug>'f<t  (y. 

At  ten  minutes  past  two  this  moruing  preparations  were  -made  for 

■     the  landing  of  the  caj,le,  and  the  Niagara  i.s  brought  to  an  '^n«  jor  for 

the  purpose.     It  is  etlU  quite  dark,  and  we  c.n  only  see  the  outlines  of 

the  hills  which  tower  above  us  on  every  .ide,  showing  that  we  are  in  a 

completely  landlocked  harbor.     We  have  just  received  the  news  from 


r 


'\ 


..^ 


^ 


Y 


m 


,j 


»TUB  (X^KAN    TEI.KcVRAPir. 


( 


J 


.  olectnomnH  that  a  toIograpL.o  despatch,  or  ^i^al,  has  4)e«n  sent  fn-fT 
.  ao  y,ncn.i?on,  .ntorn.infr  then,  that  a  tlK.u.an.l  aud  ion  mil.-H  of  cuM< 

Imvo  b..o„  pa.d  out  fro„,  that  nh.p  ,.p  to  th>  l...t  h,ur.     Tho  i„toI!i.on,.... 

,.     ^  -y;"';MH-        l- opon,t„,H  have  b«..n  at  m.rk  all,  day  and   night, 
and  BflllahorwUhaH^  much  zoal  a.s  at  the  co.n.nencc.nont.     N>h.,U  N 
buH  thought  ol  go.„K  to  bc-rf,  |.,c.,.pt  a  few  «ho  are  to  cxhauHfed  by  their 
'        b^u,,.  watc   ,n«   H.    to^dor    ros^,  a  nuUter   of   in.pcra.ivo  noLi.y.     - 
ILree  of  to  N.aga.a'n  b^H  havcf^een   lowered,  and  two  of  thoM,  are 
to  bob!  or  buoy  tho  cuMo  at  some  distance  fnnu  tho  stom  of  the  vf.sel     . 
,      wh.lo  the  th,r,l  reoeivca  a  sufficient  length  to  reach  the  tolegranh  «tatIo„ 
whu.h  ..  about  half  a  ,„ilo  f.  .,m  the  shofe.     Ah  tho  Nmga'^\  J  ^ 
Hrou;.h    to  anchor,  tho  cabicri.  paid  out  over  tho  ,„achi„o%iri.   the  aid 
,     0    th.  l.ttle  Ht.-a,n  enpiuc^vhid,   in  put  ir.  gear  witb  the  payi„g-out     ■ 
■^^.     KU.t  a  nulo  and  a  half  is  lo^ecr.d  and  coiled  in  the  bJ 
and  by  sunr^e  every  thing  is  .eacV  for^he  cou.pba.on  of  tho  ,vori-' 

here.H  such  a  K,ugularcoinc.dc„oc  connected  with  this  very  part  of        ^ 
the  .cable  wh.ch,K  now  about  to  be  hnded,  that  it  deserves  part.cular 
menfon  her.     By  reference  to  the  a<.ount  of  ehe  expedition  of^^ 
year  ,t  w.ll  bo  .ecn  that  the  laying  of  tho   oablo  wa/ ..n.^oncef:' 
Ul  nt,a  l.,v,  Ireland,  on  the  5th  of  August,  and  that  over  threo  hun- 
dred „nle.  of  u  had  been  paid  ottt  before  it  parted  on  tho  Uth  of  the  < 
.aruo  month.     Sorue  tfme  after  fifty  or  bIx^  nnles  wer.  rocove^nl,  and 
^iuH  IS  a  part  of  tho  .amo  cable  ,.lnoh  Ih  now  about  bein.  lauded      It 
..  alHo  Homewhat  singular  that  tho  cable  was  broken  on  the  29th  of 
Jun«  last  and  spliced  again  on  the  2t)th  of  July 

Before  the  landing  of  the  cable,  Captain  Hudson  notified  tho  Cap- 
tams  ofnho  Gorgon  and  Porcupine,  and  about'iive  o'clock  tho  boat  of ^ 
he  N.agara  .verojangod  in  a  re^ar  lino  and  connected  with  a  hawser 
t*  tow  that  on  which  die  cable  wa«  coiled  to  tho  landing-placo,     S 
telegraph  flag  was  displayed  from  tho  mizen  truck,  while  L  EngFisTi'        - 
%  was  h.,H  cd  at  tho  fore,  and  tho  American  at  the  mizcn  peak      A        ' 
.rn,  ar  coinphnient  was  paid  t.  tho  American  flag  by  the  British  vcs- 
80  «,  and  soon  after  our  boat,  pushed  off  fronf  the  ship  wo  observed      ' 
otiiers  com^ij  from  the  fiorgon  and  Porcupine  to   partLpat^^W      o        - 
consummation  of  the  great  w.rlc.     AF  the  officers  of  the  N  agara  w   h        / 
,^o<.,c^t.on  of  those  ou  watch  on  the  ship,  wen,  in  tho  boats.'hT  i^w^        ' 
of  which  numbered  altogether  ab-nt  sixty  mon^    The^o.  witl/the  cr  I      > 
from  tho  boa^^  .f  tho  British  .hips,  and  all   the  ofBcers,  F^gli.h  3 
M.erioan   made  a  t<,tal  of  about  one  hundred  men.     The  d,  .uLtration 
wru  certainly  any  thing  but  a  pageant,  for  there  were  none  of    1  Z 
aocessones  which  make  uf,  what  is'  gc-nerally  understood  by  the  word 


•    i 


{ 


J 


eon  sent  fr(T,i 
Bil«')«  of  tulil< 

0  intclli^dnci'  , 
i«iaHm    M'liich 

If  and   night, 
nt.     N>ho(lj  N 
fifed  by  their 
k'o  iioooasity.     - 
iif  tht.'M)  nro 
>f  the  vpHSftl     ' 
raj^ii  Htatinrj, 
"a  has  boea 
irii   the   aid 
paying-out     • 
n   the   boat, 
f  the  worJc, 
!ry  part  of 
»  particubir 
ion  ofjaat 
inicnoed  at 
three  huu- 
1th  of  the  '' 
vefed,  and 
mdod.     It 
3  29th  of' 

1  the  Cap- X. 

bo  boats  of 

a  hawner, 
'ace.  The 
0  Euglihli 

peak.  A 
ritish  ves- 

observed 
ite-^fti  the 
i^ara,  with 
the  crews 
the  erews  ~ 
slish  and 
)natriition 

of  those 
he  word ; 


'  TUK  riKAL  KXi«i)rno»i.r^''     .%  278 

r'   ■  •       '       '■^-t"''f. ,,-, 

but  there  oonld  be  none  who  were  imbued  with  a  higher  Uppn^eiution  of 
the  character  of  the  occaaion,  nor  who  were  bolter  4ualifie'd  to  do  it 
boner ;  and  it  i?  doubtful  whether  the  preeoneo  Of  thounand«  would  • 
have  added  any'thing  to  ite  importance  or  aolo^inj^y.  It  would  bo  a 
difficult  matter  for  one  who  -has  Been  netbing  but  civic  procoaaions  to 
form  an  idea  pfvthat  which  attended  the  last  act  in  the.  completion  of 
this  poterprise.  The  scene,  tl»e  circumstances,  all  conspired  to  render 
it  totally  difforetJt  from  any  celebration  the  world  baa  ever  aeen. 

The  Bay  of  Bull'«  Arm  is  an  inlet  of  the  sea  at  the  head  bf  TrinUy 
Boy,  frorti  which  it  Bins,  between  a  range  of  irregular  WUs,  adiatanoe 
of  about  ten  miles.     Some  of  those  hilU  rise  to  the  dignitjwr  mountains, 
which  are  in  many  places  wooded  down  to   the^  water's  edge.     The 
inhfls.pitoble  nature  *  tho'climate,  combined  with  the  barren  and  rocky 
soil  is  Hiher  unfavorable  to  vegetation,  and  the  for&te  are  composed 
mainly  of  a  stuhted  variety  of  pine,  which  seldom,  attains  a  height  of 
mare  than  30  feet;  while  th^  turf,  which  in  somcpliKies  covars  the  rooks 
to  tlie  depth  of  three  or  four  feet,  is  overspread  ^ith  a  tbick  growth  of 
moas      The  streamf,  which  during  the  sumnjer  season  become  mere  nv-^ 
nlets^  are  converted  into  foaming  torrents  by  the  freshets  which  fellow^ 
the  breaking  *p  of  the  long  and  dreary  winter.     Judging  from  the  hilly 
and  mountainous  oharao^^  of  ttis  part  of  the  country,  and,  indeed,  of 
the  whole  islan*,  the  construction  and  establishment  9f  railroads  m  the 
''    fardistent  future  muflt  prove  a  terribly  exponmve  it«&ur.     The  landing- 
place  for  the  cable  is  a  very  picturgjque  little  bo«ch,  on  which  »  wharf 
baa  been  constructed.     A  road,<i^ut  the  dimensions  of  a  bridle  path, 
has  bcpn  cut  through  the  forest,  and  up  this  road,  through  bog  and  miro,. 
y6u  find  your  way  to  the  telegraph  station,  about  half  a  mile  distant. 
Alongside  of  this  road  a  trench  has  been  dig.for  the  cabl^,  to  preserve 
it  from  accidents,'  to  which  it  might  otherwise  be  liable. 

Whi>n  the  boats  arrived  *t  the  landing  the  officers  and  men  jumped 
ashore,  and  Mr.  North,  first  lieutenant  of  the  Kiagara,  presented  Cap- 
tain  HttdsSn  with  the  end  of  the  cable.     Captain  Otter,  of  the  Porcu- 
pine, and  Commander  Dayman,  «f  the  Gorgon,  now  took  hold  of  it,  and 
all  the  officers  and  men  foUowing  their  example,  a  procession  was  formed 
alojt  the  line.     As  the  cable  was  covered  vith  tar,  the  handling  of  it 
waTrather  objectionable,  ^ut  there  were  none  who,  under  the  ciroum- 
stances,  refused  to  takTa  part  in  t^c  landing.    There  were  some,  it  w 
true,  ^ho  would  not  at  first  put  their  bare  hands  to  it,  and  who  sought 
to  protect  them  wTth  gloves,  or  by  covering  the  cable  with  moss.^  Thw 
movement,  however,  wa.  rather  unpopukr;  so  the  gloves  wore  taken  p^ 
and  althaugh  part  of  the  moss  adhered  to  the  cable,  there  waa  little  oflt 
used  afterwards. '  The  road  or  path  over  which  wo  Ud  to  Ukevtho  cable 

18 ,  .  -    *  r  , 


.^ 


J . 


S74 


THE  OCKAH  TEMORAPH, 


f       ^ 


1'  : 

ii,;    i 

•  1'  I 


IV 


•  •» 


other  evergreen.     In  «,„,«  pl«»«  the  tl^  ;hth  ^71  f^'T^"' 
on  the  top  of  the  highest  mouBt.in8  wJ  «  loft  wi^K  /      '^  ^''' 

you  would  sink  to^ur  -.Ide,  Tit     Tr«  "    ^     ^  '^°*  '""^ '^^' 
whoever  they  ^^rej,.,  .nSX,:^^  lX't::t^^ 
notice  they  had  to  make  it  passable  and  it-  ^7  "^"'^ 

•pile  tkeir  wolUnown  .biUtie.  u  luTigMoni.  ' 

\        Never  w«  such  a  remarkable  seem.  p«.««ted  ,iDoe  tie  >,orld  beean 

work  i::i„i*''  r^  ^'  ^^  '^  '-^-^-.  •»  «j-  -  «^  1^ 

but  a.  on«  .nV!  •      ,  ^  *^*^  "^  ■"*«*y  «<*  «»1«»««  appear 

^dB  the  eleotno  chain  which  bind,  the  two  worlds  together      No  " 
11     "IT.^""'  •  «**•*  "•*^*^'  *^«  «nounoenM«t  of  whieh  will  ,u 
tthtt"wl^r"Kl""*"^'«^''^-°"*--»*     TheooIilLt      ^ 

^0  ?ar«J^wi*'"  r*  ^'^^  ^  ^^'  '^^  '"^  '^^^  eUolricians. 
_       — -ti^    '""  »n»ar  iiuuaulf  JT  «-wte^  or  tEu  pdnV  •nd  wiU 


»  oonple  of  hun- 
«tof  pines  and 
to  found  here 
«sent  rains  that 
or  road-makers, 
sr  at  the  short 

0  say  they  suc- 
;  that  they  had 

1  •  a  little  more 
B  had  to  march  - 
it  rcasooablo  to 
on,  would  cer- 
<{  the  steppiug- 
unged  into  the 
inoe  that  satiti- 
i4  01)  land,  de- 

i»  o'clock,  and 
'•  The  ascent 
»ogot  to  th( 
iw  fnx  a  jour- 
ith  us  lay  the 
Tfinity  Bay, 
u«  oattons  in 
■nd  if  we  ex- 
»  «agle  habi- 

world  bf^n. 
i«in  as  if  the 
d«     Looking 
'«*wo  appear 
liirdieDd  the 
ti««  a  dreani, 
held  in  our 
^.     No,  it 
ek  wUlsUr- 
>  ooDtiouity, 
^ftet  aow  «B 
Bloolricians, 
lie  oorrent, 
re  done  the 


THE  FINAL  KXPKDITION. 


275 


dV  and  will 


neret  "forget  the  singular  acid  taste  which  it  had.  Some  r«ceived  a 
pretty  strong  shock — so  strong  that  they  willingly  resigned  the  chance 
of  repeating  the  experiment. 

About  twenty  minutes  after  we  started  from  the  beach  wo  reached 
the  station  of  the  Atlantic  telegraph  on  tlus  side  of  the  ocean,  where  we 
found  some  half  doien  of  the  inmates  awaiting  our  arrival.     The  station 
is  a  large  frame  building,  two  stories  high,  and  eight  windows  wide. 
On  the  first  floor  is  a  kitchen,  an  office  and  a  sitting  apartment,  dignified 
withtlie  title  of  p^rilM-      The  doc-  opens  on  the  side  of  the  house,  and 
there  is  no  meam^  ol^|l  from  the  front,  for  the  simple  reason  that  the  first 
story  is'eight  or  ten  feet  from  the  ground.     This  singular  arrangement 
is  explained  by  the  fact  that  the  building  is  situated  on  the  side  of  a  hill, 
and  that  there  is  a  oonsiderablo  difference  between  the  height  of  the 
front  and  back  walls.     The  second  story  is  divided  into  sleeping  apart- 
ments separated  by  a  single  corridor,  and  the  whole  establishment  will 
lodge  about  a  doien  persons,     A  beginning  has  been  made  in  the  clear- 
ing away  of  the  forest  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  house,  and  in  the 
course  of  a  year,  they  will  have  as  pleasant  and  as  comfortable  a  dwelling 
perhaps  as  any  in  Newfoundland,  although  it  may  not  have  all  the  luMies 
of  civilieed  life.     Of  the  details  of  domestic  life  at  the  telegraph  stetion 
more  will  be  stdd  hereafter.     Meantime  we  must  continue  the  particu- 
lars of  our  narrative. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  procession  the  cable  is  brought  up  to  the  house 
and  the  end  placed  in  connection  with  the  instrument.     The  deflection 
of  the  needle  ou  the  galvanometer  gives  incontrovertible  evidence  that 
the  electrical  condition  of  the  cable  is  satisfactory.     The  question  now  is, 
how  shall  we  properly  celebrate  the  consummation  of  the  great  event  ? 
How,  but  by  an  acknowledgment  to  that  Providence  without  whose  fa- 
vor the  enterprise  must  have  ended  in  disaster  and  defeat     Every  one 
feels  that  this  ia  all  that  is  necessary  to  make  |he  celebration  complete, 
and  to  mark  the  undertaking  an  the  work  of  two  great  ChrisUan  nations. 
When,  therefore,  they  all  gathered  together  before  the  telegraph  station, 
they  understood  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  assembled.     Capt«n 
Hudson  took  up  his  position  on  a  pile  of  boards,  the  officers  and  men 
standing  round  amid  shavingsy  stumps  of  trees,  pieces  of  broken  furm- 
ture,  sbeeta  of  eopj  er,  telegflaph  batteries,  little  mounds  of  lime  and 
Bjortar,-branches  of  trees,  hu^  boulders,  and  a  long  Catalogue  of  other 
things  equally  inoongru(ms.  • 

"  We  have,"  said  the  captain,  "  just  accomplished  a  ffork  which  has 
attracted  the  attention  and  enlisted  the  interest  of  the  whole  world 
That  work,"  ho  continuoi,  "has  been  performed,  not  t^  ourselveB; 


there  hai  hten  an  Almighty  Hand  over  ua  and  aiding  to;  ^  irithottt 


\ 


; 


u. 


276 


TKK  OCEAK   TKr.EGBAPn. 


Pi- 

r  ,  - 


i  I 


Ii 


H 


-^ 


/ 


the  D,vme  a..s,stanco  thu,  extended  us,  euccos.  wa«  impossible.     With 
this  conviction  fimly  impressed  upon  our  minds,  H  becomes  our  duty  fo 
acknowledge  our  indebtedness  to   that  overruling  Providence  who  ho!  J« 
the  sea  m  the  hollow  of  his  hand.      '  Not  unto  us,  Oh  Lord  !  not  un.o 
us  but  to  thy  name,  be  all  the  glory.-      I  hope  the  day  will  never  cone 
whc>^,  mall  our  works,  we  shall  refuse  to  acknowledge  the  overruii.. 
hand  of  a  D.v.ne  and  Almighty  Power.      It  is  He  who  can  rebuke  th^ 
wtnds  and  calm  the  seas.     He  works  in  a  mysterious  way  for  his  people. 
H,s  path  IS  on   the  mighty  waters.     We  have  seen  his  power  in  the 
empest ;  and  when  we  have  called  upon  Him  in  the  time  of  trouble;  He 
has  heard  our  voice.'   And  yet  how  ungrateful  we  are  for  all  His  favors 
and  how  soon  wo  forget  Him  when  the  trouble  passes  away  like  the 
summer  cloud  or  the  morning  dew.     On  a  solemn  Occasion  like  the 
present  we  .hould  feel  more  particularly  our  indebtedness  to  Him,  and 

maTfl  '      f?  x'/  ?'"f  ^'  ^"'''"'^^  ^^  '^'""^^  acknowledge  the 
n^any  favors  which  He  has  bestowed  upon  ns.     There  .are  none  here,  I 

r^r;  t"'^    '''*"  "'  °°'  "'^'^"^^'"g  with  feelings  of  the.  liveliest 

ni?sh  d   H         ."n"  """■"'  '''  ^'''  ^"'^  "'^'"^  has  been  aceom. 
phshed   through  His  permission,  and  who  are  not  willing  to  join  in  a 
prayer  of  thanksgiving  for  its  successful  terminatiou,      I  will,  therefore 
^k  you  to  jom  me  in  the  following  prayer,  which  is  the  same,  with  a 
few  necessa^-  alterations,  that  wa,s  offered  for  the  laying  of  the  cable  : 

rulest  ?h    ^''""'"Wl'^   «''^'  ^^«  »l™«  ^Proadest  out  the  heavens  and 
n^  est  the  raging  of  the  sea,  who  hast  compassed  the  waters  with  bounds 

1  IvV",!^'^  ^'"'  '"  "''  '"^'■'"'^  "'^'"^'^^  winds  and  the  sea 
obey-look  down  in  mercy,  we  beseech  Thee,  upon  US,  Thy  servants 
who  now  approach  the  throne  of-grace,  and  let  ou;  prayer  asLd  bet^: 
Thee  with  acceptance.  Thou  hast  commandbd  and  encouraged  us  in  all 
our  ways  to  acknowledge  Thee,  and  to  commit  our  works  to  Thee ;  an.l 

handiwr^i^r".'-^'"^^^^^^  '"  ''"^*  ^'^^P""'^  and  to  prosper  our 
handiwork     We  desu-e  now  to  thank  Thee,  believing  that  witho^  Thy 

td  commit  all  who  have  been  engaged  in  this  undertaking  to  Thy  care' 
P  otection  and  guidance.     It  has  pleased  Thee  to  enable  us  to  complet.^ 

btlTnd  "  -r  '-'  ^'''^  ^'•'^^''^""^''  *«  undertake,  that  b'eing 
be;  un  and  earned  on  in  the  spirit  of  prayer  and  in  dependence  upon 

.motmg  the  increase  of  unity,  peace,  and  concord.  May  Thy  hid  of 
power  and  mercy  be  so  acknowledged  by  all,  that  the  language  of  every 
heart  may  be  •<  Not  unto  us,  0  Lord  ;  not  unto  us.  but  unto^hy  nam' 

W  £"''     tL'l^^  "''™^  ""'y  ^«  '»'*"«-«'^  '^^^  --g«'fi^  il«L_. 
^fia  ^«*     *«>»*««  iSoBfroHpd  the  witids  and  the  sea  by  ^hy  air 


,.^A.;. 


^. 


THE  FINAL  EXPEDITION. 


277 


possible.     With 
nes  onr  duty  fo 
iencf;  who  h(>IJ« 
Lord  !  not  uiUo 
Till  never  coiie 
the  overruliiis 
ran  rebuke  the 
for  Lis  people. 
3  power  in  the 
of  trouble;  He 
all  His  favors, 
away  like  the 
Jasion  like  the 
is  to  Him,  and 
knowledge  the 
■e  none  here,  I 
5f  the.  liveliest 
w  been  accom- 
ng  to  join  in  a 
will,  therefore, 
i  same,  with  a 
f  the  cable  : 
le  heavens  and 
»  with  bounds 
i  and  the  sea 
Thy  servants, 
ascend  beibre 
aged  us  in  all 
;o  Thee ;  and 
o  Jirosper  our 
without  Thy 
o'sire  humbly 
to  Thy  care, 
3  to  complete 
},  that  bein^ 
adonce  upon 
lions,  by  pro- 
Thy  hand  of 
age  of  every 

0  Thy  name, 
gnifiod  ii^ns 

1  by  Thy  al-    ' 


mighty  po>ver,  and  granted  us  such  favorable  weather  that  we  were  en- 
abled to  lay  the  cable  safely  and  efifectually.  Finally,  we  beseech  Thee 
to  implant  within  us  a  spirit  of  humility  and  childlike  dependence  upon 
Thee ;  and  teach  us  to  feel,  as  well  as  to  say,  "  If  the  Lord  will,  we  shall 
do  this  or  that."  Hear  us,  O  Lord,  and  hear  us  in  those  our  petitions 
according  to  Thy  previous  promise,  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake.'  " 

The  •'  Amen  "  which  followed  the  conclusion  of  this  prayer  showed 
what  a  sincere  response  it  receiv^  from  the  hearts  of  all  present,  and  the 
depth  of  feeling  it  excited.  "  You  recollect,''  proceeded  the  Captain; 
"what  our  Saviour  told  his  disciples,  that  if  they  had  faith,  even  as  a 
grain  of  mustard  seed,  they  could  move  mountains.  We  have  performed 
a  work,  or  rather  we  are  thankful  to  God  for  having  performed  a  work 
for  m,  \frhich  has  been  ridiculed  by  a  great  many  who  regarded  it  as  an 
impossibility^  We  have  been  peculiarly  favored  in  being  permitted  to 
be  Hifl  agents,  and  we  are  pleased  to  acknowledge  that  it  was  through 
His  instrumentality  the  work  was  performed." 

At  the  close  of  the  foregoing  remarks  the  audience  of  "  cable  layers  " 
dispersed,  some  to   amuse  thom8<;lves  in  short   excursions  about  the 
grounds  adjoitving  the  station,  and  others  to  explore  the  mysteries  of 
the  building  itself.     About  an  hour  aft«r,  the  captain,  officers  and  men 
a88em})led  on  the  beach  where  the  cable  had  been  landed,  and  where 
they  »e-embarked  for  their  several  ships.     Up  to  this  point,  every  thing 
had  been  conducted  with  silence  and  in  a  spirit  of  moderation,  which 
some  might  oonsider  ill-suited  to  the  greatness  of  the  work,  and  the 
feeling  which  the  occasion  might  reasonably  be  supposed  to  call  forth. 
Had  such  a  scene  occurred  in  the  harbor  of  Now  York,  it  would  have 
been  impossible  to  restrain  the  wild  enthusiasm  and  excitement  of  the 
people.     And  who  is  there  under  the  circumstances  that  would  desire 
to  do  so  ?    But  the  men  who  laid  that  tarred  line  across  one  half  of  tlie 
Atlantic,  and  who  had  passed  six  days  in  anxious  watching,  in^^rriblo 
suspense  and  in  the  midst  of  apprehension,  one  day  hoping  against  hope, 
and  the  next  fearing  when  the  prospect  appeared  brightest,  thinking  of 
the  one  thing  by  day  and  dreaming  of  the  one  thing  in  their  short  and 
troubled  sleep,  until  it  seemed  as  if  on  that  slender  cable  their  very  lives 
depended,  and  the  accident  that  proved  fatal  to  ito  safety  were  to  put  an 
end  to  their  existence— these  men  were  not  devoid  of  enthusiasm.     No, 
no;  there  was  no  want  of  enthusiasm  among  them;   but  it  was  deter- 
mined that  they  should  not  give  vent  to  it  till  the  work  was  wholly  ao- 
complished— till  the  oable  was  Unded,  tUl  they  had  carried  the  end  in 
safety  to  tW|^egrapji  station,  and  till  they  had  returned  thanks  to  that 

ProvideB^^bse  agents  they  were   in  the  working  out  of  the  gr^^ 

"a^evoment  which  has  ever  been  conceived  or  performed  by  mm.-  Wan* 


278 


THE  017EAN   TELEGRAPH. 


1   ; 

i';'  1 

s 

^f<  \ 

'h 

V  ' 

i 

i 

I 


of  enthusiasm  f     Oh,  had  the  people  of  New  York*-of  the  United  State8 
■-of  the  two  worlds,  heard  the  wild  hum  that  went  ringing  oyer  the 
hills  chasing  the  deer  from  their  coverts,  sending  thousands  of  startled 
sea  birds  out  upon  t%  ocean,  as  if  the  land  no  longer  afforded  them  a 
place  of  secunty-had  they  seen  tho  faces  of  these  men,  they  would  un- 
derstand what  enthusiasm  is,  and  how  unjust  the  suspicion  that  denied 
them  the  possession  of  an  attribute  only  second  to  hope  itself.   A  cheer  it 
could  hardly  be  called ;  it  wa.s  one  wild^rolonged  shout  of  deliriou.  jov 
such  as  might  welcome  the  disenthralment  of  a  nation,  or  the  union  of 
two  worlds-^  union  in  which  we  all  participate,  you  and  I  and  every 
one  of  us,  and  the  remembrance  of  which  will  live  with  us  to  the  end 
How  eagerly  we  all  waited  for  the  word  tha«rt»H  us  the  time  had  eome 
when  we  might  give  vent  to  the  ffeelings  that  had  been  so  long  restrain 
ed  !     And  when  the  first  lieutenanfl  of  the  Niag*»ra  called  upon  us  to 
give  three  cheers,  what  tongue  could  have  remained,  silent  were  it  ever> 
the  last  sound  it  could  utter  ? 

"  Now.  men,  three  cheers,"  he  ctied ;  and  the  last  word  had  hafdiy 
been  spoken  when  the  demand  was  responded  to  with  an  outburst  that 
•amc  from  the  very  depth  of  the  heart.  "Hurrah!  hurrah  3!  hurrah  tM" 
^  lohder  and  wilder  than  the  last  ,•  and  as  the  final  cheer  burst  forth 
■  the  echoes  took  it  up  and  repeated  it  again  and  again,  till  it  seemed  ,s' 
If  th^wildemesa  around  wore  peopled,  and  thousands  of  voices  in  every 
val  ey  knd  on  every  mountain  top  joined  in  the  glad  shout  of  rejoici,,. 
Bu   thre^cjeersaro  not  enough-we  must  give  another  "for  coming 

another  .s  derti^ded,  one  which  cannot  be  refused  if  it  were  the  last 
cheer  we  should  %  give.  It  is  "  One  for  America  and  England  •  ' 
andit  IS  caled  for  by  Captain  Otter  of  the  Porcupine,  a  gentlem'au 
Trhose  earnest  labors  and  whose  uhtiring  energy  in  his  share  of  the  woik 

ed  the  bay  of  Bull>  Ann,  and  who  guided  us  safely  through  all  the  in- 
tecaoies  of  the  pa,«,|e  the  night  of  our  Entrance  into  Trinity  Bay.  To 
!  1  //I  ;  ^^*"'  '^^  '^'  ^'^'Son,  who  acted  as  our  escort  and 
T  wl^rr  '""  '"^^'  '^'"""*^''°  *'""™'  *^«  «"«'>f  »ho  Atlantic 
It^mL  rr^.  *"  ^r^^r^'^^^-  It  "  <»oubtful  if  the  British 
gove^nent  ebuld  have  selected  from  its  long  list  of  naval  officers  two 

wiii  *I?  '^T'^"'  "'"^  '^P""''  '^  V^rfomang  the  work  with 

which  they  were  entrusted,  or  tWo  wh6  were  more  earn^^t  in  their  exer- 
tions to  promote  the  Recess  of  the  great  undertaking 

WerJ!i!!l!J\^u*" ''*''•  ^'"S*"  '""^  *«  "^'^  "^y  *"  tJ'"*  «Wp.  they 
^ri  nlSJJri!^'  "^  ^'  ^'■«°°  ■"'*  Vor^n^n,,  and  at  twelve 
oeisek  «^lute  of  twttjty^one  gSra  wwWfeJlfoin  the  former  veweL    


THE  FIKA.L  EXPKDITION. 


279 


he  United  States 
inging  over  the 
»ncl8  of  startled 
afforded  thom  & 
they  ttould  un- 
oion  tbat  denied 
Iself.  A  cheer  it. 
of  deliriou."  joj, 
or  the  union  of 
nd  I  and  every 

I  ua  to  the  end. 
time  had  come 

o  long  restrain 
lied  upon  us  to 
»t  were  it  even 

ord  had  hardly 

outbnrsf  that 

3!  hurrah  !!!" 

wr  burst  forth, 

II  it  seemed  as 
voices  in  every 
it  of  rejoicii:? 

'  "for  coinino 
le.     And  Ftill 
were  the  last 
d  England ;  ' 
,  a  gentleman 
re  of  the  woi  Ic 
t  who  survey- 
igh  all  the  in- 
ity  Bay.     To 
)ur  escort  and 
the  Atlantic 
f  the  British 
il  officers  two 
he  work  with 
n  their  exer- 


at  ship,  they 
nd  at  twelve 
it  veaseL 


As  a  Urge  number  of  the  men  on  board  our  ship  had  been  at  work 
all  night,  those  who  wished  were  allowed  to  "  turn  in,"  and  there  were 
very  few  who  did  ooi  take  advantage  of  the  permission,  and  fewer  still 
who  did  not  enjoyo  their  rest  They  had  worked  hard  and  well,  and 
took  as  deep  au  interest  in  the  success  of  tho  wor):  as  those  who  had 
a  greater  stake  in  it. 

MR.  FIELD  MAKES  THE  FIRST  ANN01TNCE*E!JT^.T0  THE  NEW  WORLD  THAT 

THE  <:ABLE  13  LAID. 

About  eight  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  tho  4th  instant,  while  the 
Niagara  was  proceeding  up  Tlrinity  Bay,  and  some  seventeen  or  eighteen 
miles  distant  from  the  landing  place,  Mr.  Field  left  the  ship  for  tho 
purpose  of  visiting  the  telegraph  station,  and  if  possible,  of  sending  a 
despatch  to  the  United  States  announcing  the  success  of  the  enterprise. 
As  the  boat  of  the  Porcupine  was  alongside,  it  was  cheerfully  placed  at 
his  disposal  by  Captain  Otter,  who  had  now  undertaken  'o  pilot  the 
Niagara.     Mr  Field  immediately  set  out,  and  as  the  Gorgoii  was  o\  her 
way  to  the  Bay  of  Bull's  Arm,  at  the  head  of  which  the  cable  was  to  be 
landed,  he  went  on  board  tliat  vessel,  and  his  boat  was  taken  in  tow. 
Here  he  was  warmly  received  by  Captain  Dayman  aud  hi.v  officers,  who 
were  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  success.     It  was  near  two  o'clock  in  the 
raorniug  before  be  arrived  at  the  beach,  and  as  it  was  quite  dark,  he  bad 
considerable,  difficulty  in  finding  the   path  that  led  up  to  the  station. 
There  was  no  house  in  sight,  and  the  whole  scone  was  a*  dreary  and  as 
desolate  aa  a  wilderness  at  night  could  bo.     A  sUenoe  as  of  the  grave 
reigned  over  every  thing  before  him ;  while  behind,  at  the  distance  of  a 
jnile,  he  could  see  the  huge  hull  of  tho  Niagara  looming  up  indistinctly 
''tiirongh  the  gloom  of  night,  and  the  iight  of  the  lamps  on  her  dock 
making  the  dajkness  still  darker  and  blacker  by  the  contrast.     lie 
entered  tho  narrow  road,  and  after  a  journey  of  what  appeared  to  be 
twenty  miles  came  in  sight  of  tho  station,  which  stands  about  half  a 
mile  from  the  beach.     There  waa,  however,  no  sign  of  life  there,  aud  the 
house,  in  its  stillness,  seemed  strangely  in  unison  with  every  thing  around. 
It  had  a  deserted  appearance,  as  if  it  had  long  since  ceased  to  be  the  habi- 
Ution  of  man.     In  vain  he  looked  for  a  door  in  the  front,  there  was  no 
entrance  there;  he  looked  up  at  tho  windows  in  the  hope,  perhaps,  of 
being  able  to  enter  by  that  way,  but  the  windows  of  the  lower  story  were 
beyond  his  reach,  and  the  house  having  been  partly  built  on  pUes  gave 
it  the  appearance  of  being  raised  on  stilts.     A  detour  of  tho  establish- 
ment, however,  led  to  the  discovery  of  a  door  in  tho  side,  and  through  this 
he  finally  Hucoeeded  in  effoctinf  an  entrance.      The  noi»3  he  made  in 
-     getliaig  In,  IVWM  nofariTW  CTpect,  t?osM  wonse  the  inmatoa,  iat  t^ere 


280 


THK  OCKAK   TKLKOBAJ'n. 


I>    ^t 


m 


V  •' 


I 


•):.. 


I> 


It 


ll 
I',  *^ 

i 


seemed  t<K  be  oither  no  inmates  to  arouse,  or  those  inmates  were  not 
easily  di^ut^d.     He  stopped  for  a  moment  to  listen,  and  as  ho  listened 
he  heard  th^breathing  of  sleepers  in  an  apartment  near  him.     The 
doorv-an  inimeVtelj  thrown  open;  and  in  a  few  seconds  the  sleepers 
were  awake,  wid«^  awake,  and  opening  their  ejea  wider  and  wider  as 
the   wonderful   ney  fell   upon   their   astonished    and  delighted  ears. 
They  could  hardly  believe  the  evidence  of  their  senses,  and  were  be- 
wildered at  what  theX heard.     The  cable  laid!  when  but  a  few  short 
weeks  before  they  had  rWived  the  news  of  disaster  and  defeat,  and  they 
bad  looked  only  to  the  faXdistant  future  for  the  accomplishment  of  the 
great  work.     The  cable  laid,^  and  they  unconscious  of  it— they  who  bad 
waited   ar.d  watched  so  man^  weary  days  and  weeks  for  the  ships  they 
bad   begxin   to  believe  would  rt«?ver  come.     What !  and  they  wero  now 
in  the  bny -those  same  ships— >^ithitt  »  mile  of  them  !  can  they  be 
dreaming?     Dreaming!  no— what  \hey  have  beard  is  tru( ,  all  true, 
and  thore  t.s  the  livinjf  witness  before ^em. 

"  ^Xhut  do  you  want '?  "  was  the  exclamation  of  the  first  who  was 
awakened,  a-,  ho  endeavored  to  rub  the  sle^out  of  his  eyes. 

"  I  want  you  to  get  up,"  said  Mr.  Fielch,  "  and  help  us  to  take  the 
cable  ashore." 

"  To  take  tlu>  cable  ashore  !"  re-echoed  the  other^,  who  were  now  just 
awaking,  and  who   hrard  the  words  with   a  dim,  dreamy  idea  of  their 
'  meaning—"  To  take  the  cnble  ashore." 

"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Field,  "  and  we  want  you  at  once." 
They  wore  now  thoroughly  aroused,  and  directing  Mr.  Field  to  the 
bedrooms  of  the  other  Sleepers—for  there  were  four  or  five  others  in  the 
honse-they  prepared  themselves  with  all  baste  to^sist  in  landing  the 
cable.     But  the  other  inmates  were  already  awake,  and  when  Mr.  Field 
made  hW  appearance  on  the  corridor  which  divides  the  sleepinc.  apart- 
•  ments  on  each  side  of  the  house,  he  found  them  awaiting  him"  in  the 
lightest  description  of  summer  clothing.     As  they  had  neither  pants, 
vests,  coj^ts,  shoes  nor  stockings  on,  the  curious  will  have  no  difiiculty  in 
discovering  m  what  thoy  were  dressed.     They  were  as  amazed  at  seeing 
Mr.  Field  as  if  he  were  an  apparition ;  and  when  they  recovered  them- 
selves sufficiently  to  ask  the  meaning  of  such  a  strange  visitation,  they 
were  thrown  into  another  state  of  wonderment  by  what  be  related, 
^hen  they  learned^  All,  they  dressed,  and  prepared  theraBelvos  for  the 
work  before  them.     Mr.  Field  found  that  the  telegraph  office  would 
not  be  open  till  nine  o'clock  Tiat  morning,  and  that  the  operator  of  the 
New  York,  Newfoundland  and   London  Telegraph  was  absent  at  the 
^e.     He  also  asccrt.ained  that  the^  nearest  station  at  which  ho  could^_ 
Itfi^an  opCTTi^trM  Hffcermites'dislant;  and  that  the  only  way  of 


ates  were  not 
IS  ho  listened 
ir  him.     The 

the  sleepers 
and  wider  aa 
lighted  ears. 
and  were  be- 
t  a  few  short 
cat,  and  they 
iment  of  the 
hey  who  had 
10  ships  they 
ey  were  now 

can  they  be 
i(,  all  true, 

rst  who  was 

1. 

9  to  take  the 

ere  now  just 
lea  of  their 


Field  to  tho 
tthers  iu  the 
landing  the 
n  Mr.  Field 
Rping  apart- 
him  in  the 
iithor  pants, 
difficulty  in 
fid  at  seeing 
'^ered  them- 
tation,  they 
he  related. 
vex  for  the 
ffice  would 
•ator  of  the 
)«nt  at  the 
)h  he  could 
ily  way  of 


THB   FINAL   EXPEDITION. 


^. 


281 


^tting  there  was  on  foot.  Now,  fifteen  miles  in  Newfoundland  is  about 
e^,ual  to  twice  the  distance  in  a  civilized  country,  and  id  a  tolerably 
lorigwalk;  but  it  was  something  to  be  the  bearer  of  such  news  to  a 
whole  continent,  and  so  two  af  the  young  men  willingly  volunteered  for 
the  ioumey,  bearing  with  them,  for  transmission  to  New  York  and  the 
wholfc  United  States,  the  following  despatch,  which  conUined  the  first 
announcement  of  the  successful  ccomplishraeut  of  the  work,  and  the 
historical  importance  of  which  will  jus^fy  its  republication  here  : 

United  States  Stbam  FaifiATK  NiAOABA,        x 
TniNiTY  Bat,  Newfoundland,  August  5,  1858. 
To  THB  Associatbd  Prkb9,  Nkw  Yprk  —  P 

The  Atlantic  Telegraph  fleet  sailed  from  Qucenstown,  Inland, 
Saturday,  July  17,  met  in  mid-ocean,  Wednesday,  the  28th,  made  the 
splice  at  one  p.  u.  Thursday,  the  29th,  and  separated.  The  Agamem- 
non and  Valorous  bound  to  Valentia,  Ireland,  the. Niagara  and  Uorgon 
for  this  place,  where  they  arrived  yesterday,  and  this  mornmg  the  end 
of  the  cable  will  be  landed.  It-  is  1  ,Q96  nautical,  or  1,950  statute  miles 
from  the*  telegraph  house  at  the  head  of  Valentia  harbor  to  the  telegraph 
house  at  the  Bay  of  Bull's  Arm,  Trinity  Bay,  and  for  more  than  two- 
thurds  of  thU  disUnce  the  water  is  over  two  miles  in  depth. 

The  cable  has  been  paid  out  from  the  Agamemnon  at  about  the  same 

speed  as  from  the  Niagara.  .     ,   ,         ,  ^,       ,    i       vu  „.^ 

The  electrical  signals  sent  and  received  through  the  whole  cable  are 

^^'rhe  machinery  for  paying  out  the  cable  worked  in  the  most  satisfac- 
tory manner,  and  was  not  stopped  for  a  single  moment  from  the  tunc 
the  splice  was  made  till  we  arrived  here. 

Captain  Hudson,  Messrs.  Everett  and  Woodhousc,  the  engineers,  the 
electricians,  officers  of  the  ships,  and,  in  fact,  every  man  on  board  he 
telegraph  fleet;  have  exerted  themselves  to  the  utmost  to  make  the 
expSitL  8uc,;es8ful,  and  by  the  blessing  of  Dmne  Providence  it  has 

^Tfter^'the  end  of  the  cable  is  landed  and  connected  with  the  land 
line  of  telegraph,  and  the  Niagara  has  discharged  some  cargo  belong- 
ing to  the  lelegr'aph  Company?  she  will  go  to  St.  Johns  for  coal  and 
water,  and  then  proceed  at  once  to  New  York.  ^  ^^^^  ^  ^^^^ 

HOW  THE  CREW  OP  THE  NIAGARA  CELEBRATED  THE  SUCCESS  OF  THE 

ENTERPRISE. 

Daring  the  forenoon  of  the  day  on  which  the  eablo  was  landed,  the 
greater  part  of  the  crew  of  the  Niagara  was  permitted  to  go  ashore  and 
amuse  themselves  as  well  as  they  might  in  a  perfect  wilderness.  And 
never  did  the  crew  of  any  vessel  enjoy  themselves  with  more  zest  under 
the  ^ircumitapoes-it  was  different  from  their  shore  experience  in 
other  places,  but  the  novelty  ody  Borvcd  to  Tttctease  the  pleasam 


?  SI 


282 


THK  OOKAN  TIH^EORAPH. 


m 


m 


If  -i:':  '    ! 
■  iti"  ,'  ' 


I 


Some  amnsed  themselroB  in  explomtiona  over  the  hilla  and  through  tho 
foreats;  others  in  jMscatorial  excursions  up  the  trout  streams;  others  in 
ewiinming;  while  others  commeraoratad  the  oeoasion  by  erecting  a  mast 
near  the  point  where  the  cable  wae  landed,  and  dignified  the  place  with 
the  title  of  "  Niogara  City."     There  were  no  lots  marked  out,  it  is  true ; 
no  boundaries,  nor  any  thing  of  that  kind;  but  there  may  be  at  some 
future  day,  i^Jf  the  inhabitants  do  not  retain  the  name,  they  don't 
deserve  to  hare  a  city— that's  all.^    The  portionof  the  crew  who  assisted 
m  this  work  numbered  about  a  hundred  altogether,  and  among  these 
was  a  considerable  body  of  the  firemen,  under  the  dhargo  of  Mr.  Sexton, 
the    engineers'  storekeeper.     The  high  officiating  personage-  on   the 
occasion— in  fact  the  founder  of  the.future  city— was  John  McMatl., 
one  of  tho  sailors,  and  just  the  man  to  t^ike  the  lead  in  suoh  a  movement. 
McMath  res^ved  in  his  own  mind  that  something  more  should  be  d6no 
to  commemorate  the  great  event  in  which  he  and  Lis  inessmates  had 
played  a  part^  however  humble,  and  acting  upon  this  determination,  he 
gathered  a  "large  uymbcr  of  the  crew^together,  and  addressed  them  on 
the  subject.     When  they  were  aU  amSmbled  he  spoke  in  substance  as 
follows :  '  . 

"Now,  boys,  we  are  all  here,  and  I  want  to  saty  a  few  words  to  you. 

We  have  laid  the  cable.     (Cries  of  yes,  yes,  and  hurra).     Yes,  boys, 

we  have  laid  the  cable,  and  that's  a  fact,  this  time—no  mistake  now' 

(A  voice— That's  true,  any  way.     Give  us  some  more  of  that  kind  of 

talk,  Mac.)     It's  down,  and    it'll  stay  down  where  we  have  put   it. 

(Another  voice— they'll  have  a  job  to  lift  itn-thafs  all).     Now,  what  I 

want  to  say  to  you  is  this— (Aye,  aye).     I  want  the  people  who  come 

here  to  know,  that  th.e  Niagara's  boys  have  been  here  before  them,  and 

that  it  wa?.  they  that  laid  the  cable.     No  objections  to  that     (No,  no, 

from  a  hundred  tongues).     Well,  then,  I  have  got  something  to  propose! 

(What  is  it  ?— what  is  it  ?)     I  propose  that  we  raise  a  mast  on  this  very 

spot,  and  when  we  hav«  got  it  up,  that  we  shall  call  the  place'  all  round    " 

about  "  Niagara  City."     Are  you  aU  agreed  ?  (Aye,  aye,  we're  witlryou, 

Mac.) 

At  the  close  of  this  brief,  bat  piUiy  and  forcible  address,  they  all 
unanimously  decided  that  MoMath  should  be  the  leader,  and  the  better 
to  perform  his  part  he  manufactured  from  the  branch  of  a  tree  a  boat- 
swain's whistle,  with  which  to  direct  the  men  in  putting  up  the  mast  and 
rigging.  Under  his  direction  they  went  to  work  at  the  forest,  selected 
the  tallest  pine,  put  a  rope  around  it,  and  tugged  and  pulled  till  they 
dragged  it  up  by  tho  roots.  'They  then  cut  off  the  branches,  until 
noAing  reniained  but  the  Btrai^t  trunkof  the  tree,  which  they  planted^ 
firmly  in  a  deep  hole  the  v  had  dug  for  the  pu*po«».     This  part  of  the 


T«K  nxKh  lexFVXHrtos. 


&8S 


I  through  the 
as ;  others  in 
EMsting  a  mast 
be  place  with 
at,  it  is  true ; 
jT  be  at  some 
e,  they  don't 
who  assisted 
among  these 
'  Mr.  Sex  ton, 
lage-  on  the 
hn  MoMath, 
a  movement, 
uuld  be  done 
ssmates  had 
-mination,  he 
scd  them  on 
substance  as 

ords  to  you. 
Yes,  boys, 
listake  now- 
hat  kind  of 
ave  put  it. 
■^ow,  what  I 
e  who  come 
e  them,  and 
t.  (No,  no, 
to  propose. 
)n  this  very 
e  all  round 
•e  with- you, 

m,  they  all 
i  the  better 
tree  a  boat- 
le  mast  and 
st,  selected 
i  till  they 
ohes,  until 
tftir  filtttitflfl  -  - 
part  of  the 


work  performed,  they  tore  down  Rereral  other  trees  to  make  y«rda  for 
the  mast.  There  was  the  main-yard,  the  muntop-yard,  the  maintop* 
gallant,  and  the  main-royal-yard,  and  above  these  all  floated  the  flag, 
which  they  extemporised  for  the  occasion,  and  whidi  bore  the  simple 
inaoription  "  Niagara."  At  the  close  of  their  work,  they  gave  three 
cheers,  and  separated,  bat  the  raising  of  the  mast,  and  the  founding  of 
"Niagara  City,'*  fominhed  the  sabjeoi  of  oonvenntioa  among  the 
crew  for  many  days  after.  | 

HOME  ECHOES  OF  THE  OLAD  TIDUIGa 

The  despatch  which  was  sent  to  the  Associated  Press  of  New  York 
did  not,  we  understand,  reach  that  oity  before  the  5th,  on  account  of 
the  distance  of  the  nearest  station  from  the  place  where  the  cable  was 
landed.  That  same  day,  howeyer,  and  for  a  whole  week,  we  continued 
to  recciTe  congratulations  from  all  parts  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
British  prorinoeB.  ,  As  they  serve  to  show  the  feelings  which  our  suc- 
cess called  forth,  and  as  they  may  be  taken  as  the  expression  of  the 
enthusiasm  of  the  whole  country,  they  will  be  read  with  interest  The 
following  are  pretty  fair  specimens  of  those  received  both  at  Trinity 
Bay  and  St.  Johns : 

[From  New  York.] 
To  Mr.  Fiw-D : —  />, 

Despateh  received.     All  well  at  home  and  store.     Glorious. 

C.  W,  FlBLD  A  C^ 

■    „  >>'     ' 

[From  New>  York.] 
To  C.  W.  F«L» : — 

Accept  from  your  friends  in  New  York  their  portion  of  the  world's 
oonffratulations.  '      -r,       ^ 

St.  Jomw,  N.  B.  August  7,  1858. 

Trihitt  EiT,  Aagnti  7, 1868. 
[From  New  Yiwk.] 
ToC.  W.  Fiiu),  Esq:—  "^  '    . 

.  Sir— Your  despatch  has  been  received.  I  congratulate  you,  myself, 
and  for  the  peopk  of  tbis  oity,  on  the  success  of  the  great  work  of 
uniting  together  the  Old  and  New  Worid,  by  the  electric  telegraph. 
Science,  wSl,  and  perseverance  have  finally  triumphed. 

,_.  A,  .■^■'  ■ 

/^        Tawrrt  Bat,  August  7, 1868. 
'        _^|L  [From  New  Yorit.] 

Wfrhav^o  facts  in  additi»\Q  tobi  dMjAtch  of  the  5tb  to^ 

.  pT9^     Every  incident  connected  with  the  landing  of  the  Mble,  at  Hm 


*■**  fc'T^W*-^; 


*t*f*T?*^'*"**^"-*---v-!i"*'  • 


r 


X'r  ■ 


TBI  OOBlikir  T'^LBORiPaL 

be  enterprifla  in  any  way,  will  be  eagerly  received  by  the  publia 
Chroughout  the  country  (here  ia  intense  anxiety  to  know  all  m  relation 
o  it,  and  the  preas  desires  the  line  kept  open  in  the  evening,  bo  lonir  as 
liere  are.  any  facta  of  interest  to  warrant,  Pjrmi  Coopkb. 


/  -  St- JoHMB,  August  9,  1868. 

[From  New  York.] 

Your  fkmily  is  all  at  Stockbridge,  and  well  The  joyful  news  ar- 
rived there  Thursday,  and  almost  overwhelmed  your  wife.  Father 
reioiced  Uke  a  bov.  Mother  was  wild  Vith  delight ;  brothers,  sisters— 
all  were  overjoyed.  Bells  were  rung;  guns  fired;  children  let  out  of 
school,  shouted,  "  the  cable  is  laid  "— "  the  cable  is  laid."  The  village 
was  in  a  tumult  of  joy.     My  dear>rother,  I  congratulate  you.     Q5d 


was  in  a 
bless  you  \ 


David  DtroLKT  Puld. 


I  St.  Johns,  Auguat  0,  1888. 

m    r.      L  ™  -  Prom  New  York.]  __^ 

Returned  from  conntj-y  and  reoeiTed  your  message.  Congratulate 
vou  with  my  whole  heart  on  the  success  with  which  Providence  has 
blessed  the  undertaking.  Your  name  on  eveiy  tongue.  I  need  not  say 
on  what  t^rms  a  household  word.  E.  M.  Archibald. 

*  St.  Johns,  August  9,  1888. 

_    „  _  _  [From  Astor  House,  New  York.] 

To  O.  W.  Field  : —  -  ' 

The  Conunon  CouncU  of  New  York  have  resolved  on  a  «reat  cele- 
bration of  the  laying  of  the  cable.  The  committee  of  armigenlents 
desire  to  know  the  day  on  which  the  first  message  wUl  be  sent,  in  order 
to  recommend  a  general  illumination  in  the  evening.  Please  send  reply 
^  *'>«  ^^-  Daniw,  F.  Tikmann,  Mayor. 

St.  Johns,  August  11,  1888. 
VoC.W.Fr«.D:_  [From  New  York.] 

^Parties  are  pressing  upon  us  njessages  to  pay  for  them,  and  take 
<||eir  turn,  when  the  hne  opens.     What  shall  wc^do  ?    Please  reply. 

"-         «  W.  G.  Hunt. 

The  following  d«^atch  was  sent  by  Mr.  Field  to  the  President,  in- 
forming him  of  the  landing  of  the  cable  : 

m    „     «.  ,  TaiNiTT  Bat,  August  11888.       , 

To  His  Excuxoot  Jamm  Bdchanan,  Prmidikt  or  th.  Uhit.d  giATis,  Bwroi) 

SraiNos. 

Your  telegraph  despatch  duly  received.     We  landed  here  in  a  wil- 

demeavand,  until  the'telegraph  insttuments  are  all  ready  and  perfectly 

adiusted,mi94iM|p._o»!LJi»rfl^^  Y«a  rfwill  iave 

the  earhert  intunaUon ;  but  dome  days  may  elapse  before  aU  is  perfected. 


r 


tHB  FTKAt  KXPBDinoK. 


S85 


the  pnblia 
1  m  relation 
\,  so  long  08 

COOPKE. 

It  »,  1858. 

ill  news  ar- 
"e.  Father 
rs,  Bisters — 

let  out  of 
The  village 

you.     God 

'  PlBLD. 
t  0,  1888. 


ragratulaite 
idence  has 
sed  not  say 

DIBALD. 

t  9,  ISfiS. 


great  celo- 
rangenlents 
it,  in  order 
send  reply 
Mayor. 

11, 1868. 


,  and  take 
reply. 

HnNi. 
isident,  in- 

V,  1868.       , 
s,  BiDroBD 

B  Id  a  wil- 
[  perfectly 
I>«11  ^v«^ 


The  first  message  from  Europe  will  be  from  the  Queen  to  yourwlf,  and 
the  first trom  America  to  Europwyour  re^y. 

With  great  respect,  very  truly,  yourjfnend,     Cvrcs  W.  r.»U). 

To  this  the  following  reply  was  received  : 

r  • 

Tbihitt  Bat,  August  7,  1858. 

[From  Bedford  Springs.] 

To  Ctrph  W.  Field,  Esq. :—  .  ^.  ,^ 

My  Dkar  StHr-I  congratulate  you  with  all  my  heart  on  the  success 
of  the  irreat  enterprise  with  which  your  name  is  so  ho'  oraWy  connected. 
Under  the  blossinj  of  Biviue  Providence,  I  trust  it  mayjrove  instru- 
mental in  promoting  peace- and  friendship  between  kings  and  nations.  ^1 
have  not  yet  received  the  Queen's  despatch. 

•'  Yours,  very  respectfully.        Jambs  Bccuanan. 

I»  TwHtTT  Bat,  August  6, 1868. 

[From  Baltimore.] 

To  Mr.  F«u»  :-^  ^„    „     xtr  u  t>» 

Have  you  laid  and  operated  the  cable  succcMlly  ?  .We  can  t  be- 
Uevo  the  good  news  here.  »•  J-  "^«""*-    • 

St.  Johot,  August  9,\1868 
*  [From  Baltimore.] 

ToC.  W.  F:«id:—  ,  t.       vi  ' 

Your  despatch,  announcing  that  the  Atlantic  telegraph  cable 
been  laid,  waTdelivered  to  me  yesterday  I  tl^V^^.  q;Zl 
gratulate  you,  heartily  m  your  success.     J.  H.  T.  Maknbeb  Scttok. 

,  St.  Jobu,  August  1, 18M* 

[From  Boston,  August  6.]  '; 

i)BAE  Sir— the  city  authorities  of  Boston  to-day  ordered  the  firing 
of  100  Lns  upon  the  Common,  and  the  ringing  of  bells  for  one  hour 
from  noon,  in  honor  of  the  successful  laying  i)f  the  cable. 

'  Respectfully  yours,        Alkander  H.  Paic«. 

St.  JoHiis,  August  "Z,  1868. 
[From  Boston.] 

ToO.W.  Fuld:—  .  .  j     iaa  ™„o 

Your  despatch  is  received;  universal  jpy  w  expressed;  100  gn^s 

3d  this  MorLg  in  honor  of  the  suc^  of  t^e  grea^;;ej'  %l)l^- 


has 


fired  this  riioming 


perfected. 


St.  Johot,  August  10, 1888. 
-      [From  Washington.] 

To  0.  W.  FiKiD :—  *.    ^^m  ^ 

Sib— Please  advise  tbe  quickest  route  for  sending  you  a  flag-Bt»ff  of 

l>ak,  wowp  at  Mwmt  V^raon,  for  yonr  flomp»ay  to  oomniemorate. 


Jab.  0.  Vivctarn. 


-d^i- 


y^..i^^^ 


«:-■«■*:*«;  Wi 


m:^ 


1% 


^ 


fi86 


11' 


It-fi 


THU  OOBAJT  TBUSORITR. 

Tkimitt  Bat,  Aaguat 
[From  8l  Johna,  N.  B.]  ^^ 


to  Mr.  Fittn :—  ill»'    '»' 

'  Accept  the  moBt  hearty  oongrtitulationrf  of  Mettrs.  f i2<Jta!Lrf 
Bon  my«,lf,  and  the  lnh,bit.nt«^thi»  eity  e^mS^mSm^n 
gratulatmg  you  on  your  brUliant  auoce«.  ^  T^^jfeS.  SVitSI,.^"" 


[From  Halifar.] 


o."««.'  .?r.Si««  B.A^  i:-,;;:^,,"'!:;:^,'  Sifz^l 


Jm86»  HoTT. 


Toa  W.  Fiild:— 

Hk. ExoeUenoy  the  Gov 
gratuHj|t»M  on  (he  isuecess 
Uking  of  laying  the  AUanti 
R 


D^m  Toronto:]     «^- •^»"".  ^"g"-' M858. 


desirea 


prear^ 


con- 


isnujg  ofPHB^  great  under 
t'BATHwt,  Goremor'fl  Secretary. 


TaniiTT  Bat,  Angnst  7, 1868 


Tp  0.  W.  FI.LD  •_  ^*^^  MontrcL]' 

A  VISIT  TO  THE  TBLBORAPH  STATION  '  ^^' 

th^l      \    T^l'  "^  ^  *^*'  ^  *^««^«-  »^  *l"it  it  is  not 
the  most  mvitmg  for  those  who  a™  fon^  of  rapid  travelling.     But  it  is  a 


•Hhoagh  tin,  b<^  tetes  are  ^tpartirfly  fflled  upT^Kl  tfci  perwTwha 


\ 


^'M% 


m. 


w. 


,i^i;4!^;  ^  ■M,,,.s,4|!il,,, 


ibert- 
_pilW6  oon- 
Jtbtbi/s.    ' 

»t'«,  1858. 

'it'- 

Jalutes  were 
hip,  and  bj 
2very  pieco 
the  evening 
its  and  pri- 
y  decorated 

men  cele- 
icupied*  the 
ied  by  the 
ij,  paraded 
amuaetnent 
J,  cheering 
rsoDs  came 
demonstra^ 
fired  from 

Victoria's 

Horx. 

6,  1858. 


8'Mlfcon- 
at  under- 


etary. 

r,  1868." 


srth  from 
I  success. 

V^OOD. 

ation  has 
it  is  not 
ut  it  is  a 


naoB  who 


/ 


IHB  nSAL  BXPKDlTIOir. 


28T 


would  ondertdte  to  widk  over  it  with  clean  show  would  bo  somewhat 
di«appointed  at  the  egfl  of  his  journey.     At  one  end  of  this  road,  withia 
a-few  feet  of  the  beach,  stood  the  telegraph  sUtioii,  beforo  it  was  removed 
on  the  day  the  cable  was  landed.     There  was  neither  house  nor  log' 
oatin  there,  aikA were  the  speoUtor  not  informed  that  the  sUtion  had. 
occupied  a  particular  spot,  he  would  have  some  difficulty  io  finding 
the  precise  place  where  it  was  located.     The  station  ^fas  simply  two  If. 
right  polei  planted  in  the  earth,  and  rising  w  a  haight  of  abOi*^  three 
and  a  half  feet,  and  having  a  board  three  feet  loi^  and  five  inches  wide 
apiled  on  top;  •  Upon  this  a  small  instrument  for  ^rwpsmitting  messages 
was  placed,  and  on  thk  instrument  Mr.  MoK»y,  the  Superiii^ndent  of 
-the  lines  of  Newfouna^nd,  operated.     He  tpok  it  down  soon  aftet  the 
cable  was  landed,  put  the  instrument  in  bis  pocket,  and  literally  speak- 
ing walked  away  with  khe  station.     It  would,  however,  have  been  a 
somewhat  difficult  matter  to  dispose  of  the  Atlantic  telegraph  station  u 
the  same  manner,  and  the  man  who  should  undertake  the  task  wouM 
have  had  a  herculean  labor  to  perform.     The  wader  hits  been  uMte 
acquainted  with  the  fact  that  it  is  built  on  die  side  of  a  hill ;  that  it  ha« 
but  one  door,  and  that  opens  on  the  side;  that  it  is  two  stones  high 
with  a  parlor,  a  kitehen,  and  several  bedropms;  tiat  it  is  oonstraoted 
mainly  of  wood ;  that  it  is  fiVe  miles  from  the  near«it  house  and  fifteen 
miles  from  the  neamit  village ;  that  air  attempt  ha.  been  m«ie  to  clear 
away  the  wood  which  hems  it  in  on  almost  every  si*>,  and  finally,  that 
it  is  in  the  midst  of  a  perfect  wilderness ;  but  as  yet  he  knows  nothing 
of  the  wonderful  domestic  life  that  exists  inside  of  tht  same  house,  and 
of  the  strange  dobgs  that  take  place  therein,  especially  ih  the  culmary 
departments.     I  may  begin  by  suting  that  there  are  eleven  occupants, 
and  when  I  «y  that  these  ooeopants  are  all  of  the  -asculine  gooder 
the  reason  why  things  are  pot  as  they  ought  to  be  in  ^t  house  will  at 
once  beoo^  .ppTent     No  man  ought  to  be  •»'J'"^'J«f^«^^°*' ^ 
the  bread  U  not  well  baked,  the  meat  not  sufficiently  cooked;'^e  tea  tpo 
weak  or  too  strong,  the  potatoes-whehever  ^^^^  «?'.  jf^^-^^f.  *^, 
smash,  or  not  boiled  at  all,  or  if  the  fire  requires  to  be  k>"^^^*;<^;j'»^^^ 
a  dozi  times  .  day.     Nor  should  they  be  -.tonished  if  th^beds  ^ra  not 
madeiill  the  occupant  is  just  rewly  to  get  into  Uiem ;  «d  if,  according  to 
TZ.  sytem.  ibe  table  utonsiU  are  not  cleaned  1^    every  thmg  « 
IkrandToady  togo  onthetable.     AUthij  i.  e.pk.«ed  ^  the  &a 

Co«p«»y4a«uld  p«t«ut  «ie  operators  to  Uve  as  they  now  «e,  their  r4^ 
iTrSref  •Sh.rl^ri.-.  ao  &r  a,  the  dom^tic  -«T-  ^  -/^ 


^ 


Toungmenthrown  for  the^  time  on  tbeur  own  resources,  endeavoring^ 


1 


288 


THE  OCEAN  TELEOEAPH. 


> 


to  coo6  for  tbemselvcB,  to  yrash  the  dishes,  to  sweep  the  floor,  to  make 
the  beds,  to  light  the  fires,  and  to  perform  the  hundred  and  one  little 
things  of  which  men  know  nothing,  but  which,  with  those  other  « trifles," 
make  up  that  greatest  of  aU  blessings— a  comfortable  and  a  happy  home. 
Imagine,  in  fact,  a  man  attempting  to  perform  the  part  of  woman  in  his 
clumsy,  ungainly  way,  and  you  have  some  idea  of  what  a  house  full  of 
men  can  efiFebt  in  this  line,  and  of  the  condition  of  the  domestic  portion 
of  the  Atlantic  telegraph  station  in  particular.     What  a  scene  of  confu- 
sion in  the  kitchen,  what  a  terrible  state  of  things  in  the  half  furnished 
parlor,  without  a  sofat  and  with  a  few  boxes  and  trunks  for  seats !  what 
a  frightful  chaos  in  the  dozen  little  bedrooms  up  stairs,  where  the  bknkets 
and  sheets  and  pillows  are  rolled  up  in  one  mountainous  lump,  or  so 
twisted  about  as  to  furnish  a  good  half'iiour's  work  to  the  ocpupant  to 
get  each  into  its  proper  place  again !     But  with  all  this  confusion,  the 
.  electricians  and  operators  are  as  fine  a  set  of  fellows  as  ever  lived  in  one 
house,  and  live  more  cheerfully  and  happily  in  the  midst  of  discomforts 
than  many  m  the  Fifth  Avenue,  who  can  boast  of  all  the  luxuries  and 
appliances  of  civilized  life.     It  would  be  unjust  to  bring  them  to  account 
if  their  domestic  education  has  been  neglected;  and  if,  among  other 
things,  they  did  not  learn  to  bake  bread  and  to  cook  a  beef-steak  prop- 
erly, It  IS  not  their  fault,  although,  in  this  instance,  it  is  their  misfor- 
tune.    What  matter  if  they  do  not  know  how  long  it  takes  to  boil  an 
egg,  if  they  can  translateUhe  language  of  electricity,  and  send  a  message 
along  the  cable  that  now  lies  extended  on  the  bed  of  the  ocean  between 
two  (jontmentB  ?    And  if  the  company  htfve  not  every  thing  provided  for 
them,  they  can  "wait  a  littlj  longer"  for  tho  "good  time  coming"-^ 
time  that  is  to  bring  witblt  i  piano  and  billiard  table  to  whUe  away 
their  leisure  hours-a  time  .when  the  parlor  shall  no  longer  want  a  sofl 
but  when  It  shall  shine  forth  in  all  the  reftilgence  of  a  pier  glass,  one 
mahogany  table,  perhaps  two-the  company  can  aflFord  to    be  liberal 
now  that  the  cable  is  laid-^i  dozen  handsome  mahogany  chairs,  some 
ornaments  for  the  mantelpiece,  a  stool  for  that   piano,  a  substantial 
Brussels  carpet  with  a  handsome  pattern,  a  hearth  rug,  new  style,  with     ' 
a  landscape,  a  lamblike  lion,  or  ferocious  tiger,  in  the  centre;  an  accu- 
rate timepiece,  in  a  neatly  carved  frame ;  and  all  the  other  articles  that 
mak^  up  a  i^ll-furuished  parlor.     It  may  be  asked  what  will  they  want 
with  all  these  in  the  midst  of  a  wilderness  ?    The  answer  is  very  simple 
-they  want  them  to  keep  them  in  mind  of  what  oiviliied  life  is  like, 
and  of  the  homes  which  they  have  left  behind  in  tho  Old  World     With 
a  parlor  furnished  in  the  manner  described,  they  wiU  require  few  other 
things,  except  some  paintiiiga  to  decoraU  the  walla,  and  these  the 


A, 


THB  FINAL  KXPKMTION 


,i 


^280 


>or,  to  make 
ad  ODO  little 
her  « trifles," 
happy  home. 
KToman  in  hin 
louse  full  of 
lestic  portion 
Bne  of  confu- 
alf  furnished 
seats!  what 
the  blankets 
Itunp,  or  so 
occupant  to 
infusion,  the 
liTcd  in  one 
discomforts 
usuries  and 
n  to  account 
mong  other 
■steak  prop- 
leir  misfor- 
8  to  boil  an 
i  a  message 
lan  between 
rovided  for 
oming  " — a 
while  away 
rant  a  sofa, 
glass,  one 
be  liberal 
hairs,  some 
substantial 
style,  with 
;  an  accn- 
rticles  that 
they  want 
ery  simple 
ifo  is  like, 
rid.    With 
few  other 
these  the 


s* 


talented  artist  who  belongs  to  the  corps  of  operators  will  supply  with 
his  brush  and  palette.  ^' 

Then,  after  the  company  have  attended  to  the  parlor,  or  rather  be- 
fore they  have  attended  to  it,  they  must  look  out  for  the  kitchen  arrange- 
ments, the  culinary  ntensils,  and  all  that.     They  must  provide  a  pan  or 
pans,  so  that  the  volunteer  cooks  may  not  be  obliged  to  nse  the  pot  for 
the  double  purposes  of  boiling  and  frying;  they  must  furnish  more  than 
one  kettle,  so  that  if  the  spout  or  handle  should  happen  to  be  knocked 
off  they  may  not  be  reduced  to  extremities.      It  will,  however,  as- 
suredly be  gratifying  to  the  benevolent  housekeepers  of  New  York,  and 
inde^  of  all  Christendom,  to  know  that  the  domestic  difficulties  which 
those  same  electricians  and  operators  have  encountered  will  soon  be 
brought  to  an  end,  as  a  cook  wift  on  his  way  from  St.  Johns  to  take 
cliarge  of  tlie  culinary  department  when  we  were  about  leaving  that  city. 
It  is  true  the  four  occupants  of  the  station  who  resided  there  before 
the  arrival  of  the  Niagara,  did  not  take  as  much  interest  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  house  for  the  reception  of  the  expected  ones  as  they  might 
have  done,  but,  in  extenuation  of  their  neglect,  it  must  be  stated  that 
they  had  given  up  all  hope  of  ever  seeing  such  a  wonderful  thing  taking 
place,  and  as  for  the  expected  ones,  they  had  long  ceased  to  be  expected. 
If,  however,  whether  excusable  or  inexcusable,  they  did  not  attend  to 
the  few  matters  to  which  they  could  attend,  there  is  no  excuse  for  the 
company,  should  they  neglect  to  furnish  them  with  every  thing  necessary 
in  the  department  now  under  our  consideration,  and  to  which  we  intend 
to  direct  their  attention  with  all  the  particularity  of  which  our  knowl- 
edge of  such  matters  will  admit     In  the  first  place,  then,  they  must  put 
a  grate  in  the  kitchen— that  every  cook  considers  almost  indispensable. 
The  next  thing  is  an  "bven,  and  when  this  is  put  up,  they  will  want 
toasting  and  roasting  apparatus,  chairs  instead  of  hard  boxes  and  harder 
blocks  to  sit  upon— blocks  which  are  particularly  objectionable  to  men 
of  tender  and  delicate  feeling.      It  is  needless  to  repeat  the  various 
things  that  the  kitchen  of  the  telegraph  station  will  require  to  make 
it  complete,  but  the  directors  of  the  company  have  only  to  get  an 
inventory  of  what  their  own  kitchens  contain,  to  be.  aware  of  the  wants 
of  the  operators  and  to  be  enabled  to  supply  them.     The  cook,  there 
is  no  doubt,  will  prove  a  perfect  treasure  to  them,  and  that  same  cook 
will  hear  of  efforts  in  cooking  before  he  is  long  in  the  station  that  will 
astound  him.    Just  think,  oh  !  ye  housekeepers  of  New  York,  who  have 
been  so  often  apifealed  to  already,  juat  think  of  Christian  men  putting 
a  large  lump  of  pork  into  a  pot  not  big  enough  to  hold  one  half  the 
(quantity,  and  that  pot  about  one-third  full  of  water  1    Is  it  any  wonder 


that  the  water  should  all  boil  away,  and  that  the  bottom  of  the  p6l,T)e- 

10 


-  m-.  p.^'Ttm-^-t.-'f 


*■ 


390 


TH^  OCEAK  TELBOBAPff. 


1$  iu 


ill!;' 

*■■:! 


I  ' 


coming  red  hot,  BhoQld  set  the  pork  in  a  btue  ?  Is  it  any  wonder  that 
this  should  occur,  and  that  the  cooks  should  throw  a  whole  pailful  of 
water,  fill  the  pot  to  overflowing,  and  put  out  the  fire  altogether  ?  What 
would  yon  think  of  men  who  set  out  with  the  intention  of  making  what 
they  called  a  plum  dumpling,  and  who  were  obliged,  by  tteir  own  in- 
capacity and  utter  ignorance  of  the  great  art  of  cookin|F— on  art  that  has 
immortalized  a  Soyer  and  a  Murray — to  leave  the  dflMyj^ng  nninished, 
and  then  endeavor  to  convert  it  into  a  series  of -paQC^s  ?  Just  think 
of  it,  pancakes  *ith  plums  in  them,  and  thos»  fhtiBl»^o  bai  -red  and 
bruised  that  the  stones  would  persist  in  appearing  wftsre  they  were  not 
wanted,  right  on  the  top  of  the  flattened  surface.  But  the  cook  will  set 
every  thing  to  rights,  and  take  care,  when  the  pork  is  boiling,  the  fat 
does  not  get  into  the  fire.  He  will  alao  see  to  it,  that  when  dumplings 
are  commenced  they  do  not  end*  by  becoming  doubtful  pancakes. 

Now  these  little  domestic  mishaps  and  troubles  are,  after  all,  not  such 
troubles  as  might  be  supposed,  but  furnish  material  for  many  a  good  joke 
to  the  dwellers  at  the  station.     They  have  plenty  to  eat,  for  the  com- 
pany are  determbed  that,  though  there  should  happen  to  be  a  famine 
in  Newfoundland,  they  shall  not  want.     They  have  also  a  capital  barrel 
of  ale,  and  there  is  the  best  water  in  the  island  within  a  few  feet  of  the 
building.     There  is  no  lack  of  fuel,  for  firewood  is  abundant  all  around 
them,  abd  they  can  cut  down  sufficient  in  a  day  to  last  them  for  a 
month.     In  addition  to  all  this,  there  is  plenty  of  game  in  the  valleys 
aad  on  the  mountains,  while  the  sea,  near  the  coast,  swarms  with  fish, 
and  xthe  streams  are  alive  with  trout.     Newfoundland  is  in  fact  the 
sportsl^an's  paradise,  and  when  the  Nimrods  of  the  United  States  come 
to  find  it  out,  they  will  rush  there  in  crowds  during  the  summer  mont^  ,. 
What  do  they  think  of  catching  forty  trout  in  the  course  of  au  hour  and 
a  half  and  6t  taking  them  all  from  the  one  spot,  in  a  stream  not  more 
than  two  yards  wide  in  ita  widest  part  ?    What  do  they  think  of  per- 
forming this  feat  with  a  rod  made  of  the  crooked  branch  of  a  tree,  with- 
out a  reel,  and  the  hook  baited  with  a  piece  of  mutton  ?    This  feat  the 
writer  himself  performed,  and*  he  wiHingly  testifies  that  the  trout  was 
the  finest  he  ever  tasted— vastly  superior  to'the  wretched  affairs  called 
brook  trout,  which  many  of  the  Broadway  restaurants  serve  up  at  a 
dollar  apiece.     There  are  bears,  too,  in  the  island,  affording  fine  sport 
for  those  who  are  fond  of  the  rougher  kind  of  game,  and  the  wolves 
sometimes  become  so  bold  that  they  break  into  the  fimn-yards  and  IdU.^ 
the  cattle.     The  deer,  or  the  kariboo  as  it  is  called,  affords  very  g^ 
venison,  and  there  are  several  varieties  of  feathered  game.     All  things 
J??5?|i?r?d^it  will  be  geen  irQin,ihifL  that  Newfoandland  it  not  WPh 


dreary,  desolate  place  to  live  in,  and  that  if  the  telegraph  station  is 


ly  wonder  that 
lole  paiifnl  of 
ether?  What 
f  making  what 
tteir  own  in- 
BD  art  that  has 
ng  nnfinished. 
?  Just  think 
•  hai  '^red  and 
they  were  not 
3  cook  will  set 
wiling,  the  fat 
len  dumplings 
cakes. 

r  all,  not  such 
»y  a  good  joke 
,  for  the  cdm- 

0  be  a  famine 
capital  barrel 
3W  feet  of  the 
tnt  all  around 
)t  them  for  a 
in  the  valleys 
rmH  with  fish, 
B  in  fact  the 

1  States  come 
nmer  mont^  ,. 
'an  hour  und 
2am  not  more 
think  of  pei- 
'  a  tree,  with- 
This  feat  the 
be  trout  was 
affairs  called 
!rre  up  at  a 
ing  fine  sport 
I  the  wolves 
irds  and  kpL.. 
is  very  giod 

All  things 
»Bot  wofaa^ 


)h  station  is 


THE  FINAL   EXPEDITION. 


291 


situated  in  the  mid8t„of  a  wilderness,  it  is  one  that  is  not  devoid  of  at- 
tractions. 

There  is  one  particular  part  of  the  building  which  has  not  yet  been 
alluded  to,  but  which  is,  after  all,  the  most  important  This  is  the 
electricians'  office,  in  which  all  the  telegraphic  instruments  have  beeq 
put  up.  There  are  tlie  batteries,  which  bear  the  same  relation  to  the 
wire  conductor  that  the  boilers  bear  to  the  steam  engine^  and  there  the 
delicate  apparatus  by  means  of  which  the  weight  or  force  of  the  elec- 
trical current  is  told  to  a  nicety;  there,  too,  the  needle,,  which  tells 
whether  the  continuity  or  insulation  is  perfect.  There,  in  a  word,  are 
all  the  instruments  which  were  put  on  board  the  Niagara,  and  which, 
having  served  their  purpose  weU,  have  been  transferred  to  the  tele- 
graph  station  at  Trinity  Bay.  The  office  is  also  furnished  with  a  clock 
which  keeps  Greenwich  time,  and  in  the  event  of  its  ruumng  down 
there  arc  half  a  dozen  chronometers  by  which  to  set  it  right  again. 
Take  it  altogether,  the  electricians'  office  is  the  best  arranged  part  of 
the  whole  e8tabli8h^uen^  and  presents  a  strong  contrast  to  the  kitchen 
and  parlor,  both  of  which  the  company  must  have  well  furnished. 

The  telegraph  house  has  been  called  "  Cyrus  Station  '^  bj  the  elec- 
tricians, in  honor  of  Mr.  Cyrus  ^.  Field,  and  will  her  after  be  known     • 
by  that  title.     It  could  not  receive  a  more  appropriate  one,  and   will 
help  to  perpetuate  the  name  of  a  man  who  has  doue  more  than  any ,' 
other  to  make  the  Atlantic  telegraph  a  grand  reality.  / 

t 
DEPARTURK  PROM  TRIKITY  BAY  AND  ARRIVAL  AT  ST.  JOHNS.       / 

The  Niagara,  the  Gorgon,  and  the  Porcupine  left  Trinity  Bay  ei^ly 
on  the  morning  of  the  Dtl^  instant  for  St.  Johns,  where  .he  arr.Ved 
about  six  o'clock  the  evening  of  the  same"  day.     From  what  we/  had 
heard  it  was  evident  that  the  whole  population  were  moved  by  the 
greatest  enthusiasm,  and  that  they  intended  to  make  our  visit  the  occasion 
of  a  grand  demonstration.-    Indeed.,  sufficient  evidence  of  this  wa«  tobe 
found  in  the  fact  that  the  Speaker  of  the  Colonial  Legislature,  ^r.  Shea, 
had  be^n  deputed  to  wait  upon  Captain  Hudson  nt  Trinity  Ba^  for  th« 
purpose  of  ascertaining  what  time  they  should  set  out,  so  that  prepara- 
Uons  might  be  made  for  the  intended  dcmoimtration  the  day  of  their  ar- 
rival     They  proposed,  ho  said,  illuminating   the   city,  getting  up  a 
regatta,  and  giving  a  ball  in  honor  of  the  occasion.     Ifwas  evident 
that  the  go(»d  people  of  St.  Johns  were  determined  to  give,  us  a  heartj 
reception%nd  that  when  wo  left  Newfoundland  we  should  carry  away  a 
^pleasant  remembrance  of  their  hospitality.     The  little  ateamer^called 
'    the  BluTJMketr^ch  broupt^SIf^^ea  on^is  TiHBiioff  *aTr»^ 

4 


■^  I 


m 


THK  OOBAK  TEtEGBAPH. 


irii 


II 


M 

r  ■''•'■■. 


i  ■ !!: 


.!■:    '    ! 


Bay,  had  about  a  doien  other  gentlemen  from  St  Johns,  whose  impa- 
tience to  see  the  Niagara  before  her  arrival  in  that  port  could  not  bo 
restrained.     It  was  impossible  for^he  captain  to  l^fiise  the  pressing  in- 
vitations he  received,  and  they  were  accordingly  accepted  j  but  he  deter 
mined  on  remaining  no  longer  than  was  necessary  to  tdte  in  a  sufficient 
•supply  of  coal  for  the  homeward  passage.     We  ^ere  aft-  impatient  to 
get  to  New  York  to  see  our  friends  again,  and  to  tell  them  ourselves 
how  the  cable  was  laid,  and  all  the  incidents  of  the  even^  week 
through  which  we  passed.    Every  day  that  ddayed  our  departure,  there- 
fore, seemed    as    long  as  two,  and  we  thou^t,  in  our  eager  haste, 
that  the  fog  which  hemuied  ns  in  would  never  lift.    At  last,  the  weather 
haying  partially  cleared  up,  we  started,  after  a  detention  of  four  days  in 
Trinity  Bay,  and  made  all  the  speed  we  could  for  St.  Johns.    The  little 
Blue  Jacket  met  us  about  a  mile  from  the  entrance  ot  the  harbor,  with 
flags  flying,  and  a  large  company  of  the  residents  of  m  city  on  board, 
and  some  four  or  five  miles  away  to  the  south  we  could  see  Cape  Spear 
light-hou.se  decor-ited  with  and  almost  concealed  under  a  cloud  of  stream- 
ers.    When  at  last  we  came  within  sight  of  St.  Johns,  and  passed  be- 
tween the  two  lofty  hills  that  form  the  outposts  of  the  harbor,  and 
which  rise  to  the  height  of  six  or  seven  hundred  feet,  all  the  church 
bells  in  the  city  rang  out  their  most  joyful  peals,  the  cannon  thundered 
from  their  brazen  throats  a  boisterous  welcome,  while  cheer  on  cheiT 
arose  from  the  crowded  wharves,  the  hillsides,  and  the  shipping.     Yet 
in  file  midst  of  all  this  our  yearnings  for  home  grew  stronger  and 
atiOMger,  for  while  we  fully  appreciated  their  friendship  and  hospitality, 
we  could  not  help  thiniing  of  those  who  were  anxiously  awaiting  our 
return,  and  of  the  great  city  which'  we  had  left  five  months  before. 
Our  ship  had  hardly  been  anchored  before  she  was  boarded  by  several 
of  the  oflicials  and  citizens  of  the  town.     The  cannon  kept  up  their 
noisy  demonstrations  long  after  the  crowds  became  tired  of  cheering. 
and  at  intervals  could  still  be  heard  "  the  oliiming  of  tho  bells."    It  was 
a  grand  fe.9tival  in  the  dity,  the  people  abandoned  tlieir  kbor  and  kept 
holiday,  and  hundreds  ^ame  pouring  in  from  the  country  in  their  Sun- 
day clothes.     Never  had  St.  John.s  seen  such  a  sight  before,  and  the  visit 
of  the  Niagara  will  bo  remembered  hereafter  as  one  of  tho  greatest  dajs 
in  its  annals.    At  night  tho  public  and  other  buildings  were  illuminated. 
&n^  very  striking  particolored  transparency  was  displayed  from  the 
highest  point  of  the  market  house.     The  oflice  of  the  New  York  and 
Newfoundland  Telegraph  Company  was  also  illuminated,  and  it  may  be 
added  the  operators  were  kept  buay  all  night  sending  off  deapatches  to 


^-ti^;; 


tot;  FINAl,  EXPEDITION. 


298 


ns,  whose  impa- 
'i  could  not  be 
the  pressing  in- 
1  i  but  he  detor- 
e  in  a  sufficient 
l^  impatient  to 
thelij  ourselves 
I  event^  week 
leparture,  thero- 
iT  eager  haste, 
ist,  the  weather 
of  four  days  in 
hns.    The  little 
le  harbor,  with 
city  on  board, 
tee  Cape  Spear 
loud  of  stream- 
md  passed  be- 
ho  harbor,  and 
all  the  church 
inon  thundered 
cheer  on  chctir 
shipping.     Yet 

stronger  and 
nd  hospitality, 
y  awaiting  our 
nonths  before, 
led  by  several 

kept  up  their 
d  of  cheering, 
bells."  It  was 
ibor  and  kept 
in  their  Sun- 
e,  and  the  visit 
» greatest  days 
re  illumiuatcd, 
lyed  from  the 
few  York  and 
ind  it  may  be 
despatches  to 
inBcnptfOTT^^ 


I  THE  CABLE  OF  FRIENDSHIP,  | 

5  MA?  A  WIRE  NEVER  Bte  BROKKN.  § 

A  wish  to  which  every  one,  whether  he  is  or  is  not  a  cable-layer, 
will  heartily  respond, 

The  rejoiiiing  was  kept  up  for  into  the  night,  and  early  morning 
caught  some  of  th-  merry-makers  still  engaged  in  their  festivities.  The 
big  guns  got  tbaaugh  with  their  part  of  the  demonstration  by  dusk ; 
but  muskets,  rifles,  and  other  small  arms  kept  at  it  till  late  in  the  even- 
ing. It  was  evident  the  quiet  people  of  St.  J'ohns  had  resolved  to  make 
a  day  of  it,  and  they  succeeded  in  making  a  night  of  it,  too.  One  heard 
of  nothing  in  the  streets  but  the  Niagara  and  the  cable,  and  indoors  it 
was  all  the  same.  The  little  city  seemed  to  be  actually  beside  itself 
with  joy,  and  as  if  it  had  not  done  full  justice,  went  at  it  the  next  day 
with  as  much  test  as  if  it  were  but  the  beginning. 

The  following  day  Mr.  Field  was  presented  with  an  address  at  the 
Merchants'  Pkchange  by  the  Chamber  of  Commerce.     A  deputation' 
from  that  body  was  present,  headed  by  their  President,  Walter  G  reive, 
Esq.,  who  spoke  as  follows : 

Sir — The  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  St.  Johns  ,have  the- high  grati- 
fication of  welcoming  you  on  your  return  to  these  shores,  after  the  ac- 
complishment of  the  grand  undertaking  in  which  you  have  been  engaged 
for  some  years  past.  Personally  known  as  you  are,  sir,  to  the  pieinbors' 
of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  they  have  watched  with  deep  intei-est  your 
iidefatigablf  perseverance  in  carrying  out  the  vast  scheme  of  the  trans- 
lantic  telogr.aph ;  and  whilst  they  sympathized  with  you  in  the  disap- 
puiutment  vou  must  have  experienced  at  the  failure  of  1857,  they  felt 
assurred  that  your  well-known  energy,  combined  with  the  scientific  skill 
of  those  gentlemen  who  were  associated  with  you,  would  eventually  suc- 
ceed, if  success  were  practicable.  Devoting,  sir,  as  you  have  donp,  your 
fortune,  time  and  talents  to  this  great  enterprise,  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce rejoice  that  you  have  seen  the  fultilmeut  of  your  most  ardent 
wiish ;  and  tlioy  beg  to  express  their  fervent  hopes  that  you  may  be 
spared  many  years  to  enjoy  the  fruit  of  your  inteu.se  labor,  aud  tl^at  you 
may  receive  on  .your  return  to  your  native  land,  such  a  welcom^  from 
your  countrymen  and  friends  as  may  in  some  measure  compensat^e  you 
for  the  days  and  nights  of  anxious  care  you  haVe  passed.  'j 

Mr.  Field  replied  as  follows,  to  the  foregoing  address :  , 

Gkntlkmkn — The  address  you  have  presented  is  deeply  grateful  to 

my  feelings  on  this  occasion.     I  will  not  affect  to  conceal  from  yoii  that 

the  successful  result  of  laying  the  Atlantic  telegraph' cable  fills  mftwith 

=^j*fetit  joy,  while,  ^tiTOt,  I  feel  hmnbly  ^aakfid  ta  the  Giv€t  of  all  &wd- 

lor  having  permitted  me  to  be  an  instrument  in  aiding  the  accomi)lish- 


\ 

i 

1 
* 

■-     -4 


294 


THE  OCBAN   TELEGRAPH. 


:\'  • 


meni  of  a  work  that  is  destined  to  promote  tl.e  Iiappinoss  and  ysfflUiv 
of  the  human  family      I  have  certainty  n.^de  some  Bacnfioe,,  and  hu<e 
had  to  WHitetid  with  difficuUies'of  uo  small  magnitude.     But  whrn  I  ftml 
//      my  fnends  eomuig  forward,  a3~you  hav.*  done,  to  em.gratulate  mo  in  th,^ 
hour  of  succcRs,  I  am  n^re  tl.»n  ropoid  for  any  toils  I  may  have  bor.ie  in 
the  furtherance  of  this  great  *ork.    But  it  would  not  only  he  ungencrou . 
but  nnjust,  that  I  should  for  a  moment  forget  the  services  of  those  who' 
wore  my  co-workers  in  this  enterprise,  ami  without,  whom  any  labors  of 
mine  would  have  been  unavailin^r.     It  would  l>«  aiffioult  to  enumerate 
tlie  many  geutlomen  whose  scientific  acpiremoms,  and  skill  and  c^er2•^• 
have  been  devoted  to  the  advancement  of  this  work,  and  who  have    -> 
c^.             mainly  produced  the  i.«sue  which  has  called  forth  this  (^xpres.ion  of  your 
good  wishes  on  my  behalf     But  T  could  ,iot  do  justice  to  my  own  f.-l- 
-       'T*l^      i         *-^  acknowledge  how  much  i?  owing  "to  Captain  Hudson 
and  the  oftcers  of  the  Niagara,.,whose  hearts  were  in  the  work,  and  wIiom- 
toil  was  unceasing.     To  Captain  Dayman  of  her  xMajesty ^«  ship  Goreo.i 
tor  the  soundings  so  accurately  made  by  him  last  year,  and  for  the  per- 
tcct  mangier  \a  which  he  led  the  Niagara  ov  9r  the  great  circle  arc  while  lay 
-      ,  '°e,V'^^  '^''}}^ ;  *o  Captain  Otter,  of  the  Porcupine,  for  the  careful  survey 
made  bj  fi""  in  Trinity  Bay,  and  for  the  admirable  manner  in  which  he 
piloted  the  Niagara  at  night  to  Jicr  anchorage;  to  Mr.  Everett,  who  has 
tor  o.onjhs  devoted  his  whole  time  to  designing  and  perfecting  the  bciuui- 
tul  nia..'n,„ery  that  had  so  sueoes.fully  paid  out  the  c:ib1e  from  (he  shins 
— ma(.lnuery  so  perfect  in  every  respect,  that  it  wus  not  for  one  mo,ne'ut 
stoirj)..,]  on  board  the  Niagi»ra  until  she  reached  her  destination  i„  Triiiify 
iiay;  to  Mr.  \Voodhouse,  who  superintended  the  coiling  of  the  eal.lc  aiid 
zealously  and  ably  co-operated  with  his  brother  engineer  during  th-'pro- 
grei«  of  paying  out:  to  tho  electricians  for  their  constant  watc-lit'uliHS.  • 
tothe_menfor  thru-  almost  ceaseless  .labor ;  and  I  feci  cuufideut  thnt 
you  will  have  a  good  report>.m  tho  commanders,  .ngineerS,  dectrioiaus 
and  others  on  Imrd  the  AgaiBemuOQ  nnd  Valoroua— the  lri,!i  ■,K>rtioi, 
of  the  fleet— to  the  Directors  of  the  Atlantic  Telegi-aph  Company,  for  the 
time  they  devoted  to  tho  undertaking  svithout  receiving  ar.ycoinpci.a- 
tiun  for  their  services.     And  it  must  be  a  pleasure  ti>  many  of  you   to 
know  that  the  director,  who  has  devoted  more  time  than  any  other   na-  ' 
tor  many  ybars  a  resident  of  this  place,  and  well  knowu  to  all  of  you'  T 
allude  to  Mr  Jirooking,  of  London  ;  to  Mr.  C.  M.  J^  Lampson,  a  native 
ot  iNew  England,  but  wiw  h;w^  for  the  last  twenty-seven  years  resided  in 
l.ondon,  who  appreciated  tho  gr^at  importance  of  this  enterprise  to  both 
countries,  a ;i  (  guvt  it  most  valuable  aid,  bringing  his  Bound  judL'm.ui 
and  great  business  talent  to  the  service  of  the  company;  to  that  distin- 
guished American,  Mr.  Geoigg  Peftbody,  and  his  most  worthy  partner,  ' 
cMr.  Morgan,  -  ho  not  only  .issjited  it  most  liberally  with  theix  means,  but 
ho  whom  I  could  always  go  with  confidence  for  advice.     I  shall  rejouo 
to  hnd  that  th,;  commercial  interest  of  tliis  colouy  which  you  represent 
D.ay  be  largely  benelited  by  th,'  (ilos«  bonds  that  will  now  bo  drawn  by 
the  agency  ot  the  Atlantic  telegraph  between  them,  and  the  varied  rela- 
.      U%us  they  hold  throughout  the  world,  and  wishing  you  all  evtiry  pro^- 
pe"ty  ana  happineas. , "'  ^ 


Later  in  the  day  Mr.  Field  was  presented  with  another  address  by 


I   ? 


THE   HNAL   EXPEDITION. 


/ 


295 


loss  nnd  wfltlifr 
3rifico.,,  an(l  ha<-o 
But  whrm  I  ftud 
atulate  mo  in  tlio 
iiaj-havebor.ie  in 
ly  heunaencrou-i, 
ces  of  those  who 
m  any  labors  ot' 
lit  to  emrtueratt 
skill  and  ciorgj: 
nd  who  havo  ,0 
tpres^ioD  of  ymir 
to  my  own  i\v.']- 
Captain  Hudson 
work,  and  whw 
Y'H  ship  Gorgon, 
uid  for  the  per- 
cale arc  while  Lay 
le  careful  survey 
iner  in  which  he 
♦Jverett,  who  has 
L'tijigtho  bcium- 
!  from  flie  fihips 
for  rtne  niojneut 
latiou  in  Trinity 
)f  the  ealile,  aii-i 
during  th.;  j!VM- 
it  watchtuliHS- ; 
I  coufidetit  that 
erS,  dcjLttrioiaus 
!  Iri^ii  {wrtioD 
onipany,  for  the 
any'conipoiiia- 
lany  of  you    tn 
any. Other,  n;a.-  ' 
to  at!  of  you,  T 
lapson,  a  native 
rears  resided  in 
terpribo  toliulh 
juud  judgmeui 
to  that  distin- 
forthy  partner, 
heix  means,  but 
I  shall  rejoieo 
you  repioscnt, 
s  bo  drawn  by 
he  varied  rela- 
all  evtiry  pros- 
ier address  by 


the  President  of  the  Executive  Council  of  Newfoundland,  in  the  Council 
Chamber,  a  largo  number  of  the  members  being  present.  M r.  L'' ^T T^ 
O'Brien,  by  whom  the  address  was  delivered,  spoke  as  follows  on  behalf 
of  the  Executive  Council : 

We  the  Executive  Council  of  Newfoundland,  have  great  and  sincere 
pleasure  in  offering  you  our  congratulations  upon  tl^ej^'^'^ef  "(*'>;- f/^f 
Liectof  the  laying  of  the  Atlantic  telegraph  cable.      IntnnHtely  ac-    . 
SSted  as  we  bavl  been  with  the  on.rgj^and  ^^^terprise  whic     have 
JSguished  you  from  the  commet,cement  of  the  great  work  of  te  egi.aph 
^TS"on  between  the  Old  and  the  New  Worlds,  and  feelmg  t^a  .under 
Providence  this  triumph  of  science  i,s  mainly  due  to  your  wcdl-directcd 
■ind  indomitable  exertions,  we  desire  to  express  to  you  our  high  appre- 
Sirof  yTur  success  to  the  cause  of  the  world's  progress,  and  our 
heaX  By  n&  in  these  feelings,  inseparable  from  its  present  proved 
result     We  recognize  in  this  aehicven.ent  the  creation  of  new  bonds  ot 
commercial  and  social  union  between  the  poop  e  0'  the  two  great  nation 
thusmarvellously  connected ;  and  we  are  gratified  to  "-T^-^  ^^. -<^ 
contributed  towards  this  most  important  object  by  the  Colony  ot  New 
f  undland  in  the  privileges  conferred  upon  the  company  you  represent^ 
We  Serei;  trust'^the  be!t  expectations- of  the  results  of  i^^-^^jyus. 
to  all  interests  connected  with  it  may  be  immediately  fulfilled    and 
thaJ  vou  sir  individually,  may  reap  from  it  an  ample  recompense  foi 
four -a;y  Ws  and  sac'r'ifieei  froln  its  inception  to  the  present  hour. 
^     On  behalf  of  the  Executive  Council  of  N  ewfoundland, 

Laweknce  O'Bkikn,  President. 

St.  Johns,  August  9,  1858. 
9Tn-At  the  request  of  the  Executive  CounciV  I  enclose  the  copy  of 

?;:;f,r.,'n,i  i.  ro»i.«  &.  C«auca  tor  th.  purpoBo  of  .t,  vn»™.- 

ment. 

Mr.  Field  replied  as  follows :  -  ^ 

Mr   Prupident  and  Honouablk  Gkntlkmbn— I  thank  you  with  all 

ofincorlH^ration  then  P'^^^' ^'ti.S^S     S  e  t^i/ofthat  charter 

different  spirit,  the  P'«J^*  ^^''^''^J^^^*  ";__  .1,:.  happy  union  of  the  two 

haps  inip'^t  have  passed  without  witnessing  tnis  nappy 

Ss,  with  the  teneficial  eonsequenOes  ,t  1.  destmea  to  diffu^.     ih^ 

hostile  criticism,  and  it  is  therefore  with  satistaction  1  ous  tr 


f  I  ■'  ^Umiii^i  m'litilim  [»■ 


296 


THE  OOKAN  TBLBGBAPH. 


!:f! 


If  J"S 

1/  Im 


proving  terms  in  which  you  refer  te  them.  Eyery  enlightened  country 
recog^res  a  rigiit  of  pronerty  in  those  who  originate  a  work,  jwhero 
science  or  sicill  or  capital  haa  been  invested.  This  proteoti^^^/neoos- 
sary  to  draw  out  the  efforts  of  men  in  now  works  of  public ^Btility  for 
who  would  BOW,  if  he  couldn't  reap  ?  And  while  the  individial  has  his 
reward,  society  is  the  gainer  by  his  labors.  In  the  exclusive  privileges 
you  have  conferred  on  the  company  I  represent,  the  principle  of  copy- 
right only  is  involved,  and  I  think  there  can  now  be  no  doubt  that  your 
;.olicy  has  conserved  the  interests  of  the  colony  ;  while  I  confidently 
trust  the  future  may  be  productive  of  much  benefit  to  your  people  from 
the  great  work,  which  from  the  beginning  to  the  present  time  has  had 
your  consistent  and  liberal  support.  I  shall  look  with  peculiar  pleasure 
on  the  advantages  you  may  ilerive  from  the  proud  position  of  this  col- 
ony in  the  telegraphic  connection  with  the  Old  and  New  Worlds,  and 
shall  be  ever  ready  to  promote  your  views  of  advancement  by  all  means 
in  my  power.      •  . 

An  official  visit  was  paid  to  Capt.  Hudson,  on  board  of  his  ship,  by 
the  Executive  Council  of  Newfoundland,  and  a  committee  from  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  to  congratulate  him  on  the  success  of  the  under- 
taking in  which  he  has  played  a  part.  Mr.  Lawrence  O'Brien  addressed 
him  on  behalf  of  the  Executive  Council  of  Newfoundland,  and  Mr. 
Walter  Greive  on  behalf  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  to  both  of  which 
the  Captain  made  brief  and  appropriate  replies. 

At  seven  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  Tuesday,  the  12th  instant,  Gov- 
ernor  Bannerman  and  his  lady  entertained  a  large  company  at  dinner 
m  the  Government  flouse.     There  were  some  sixty  or  seventy. persons 
present,  among  whom  were  Captain  Hud.son,  Mr.   Field,  Purser  El- 
dridgt\  Drs.  Green  and  Gunnell,  Lieut.  Boyd,  Lieut.  Gherardi  and  the 
author,  from   the    Niagara;    Commander  Dayman,  of  heV   Majesty's 
steamer  Gorgon  ;  Captain  Otter,  of  her  Majesty's  steamer  Porcupine  ;  ' 
Commander  Paisley,  of  her  Majesty's  steamer  Atlanta ;  Hon.  Mr.  Sho(i, 
Speaker  of  the  Colonial  Legislature  ;  Mr.  O'Brien,  Chief  Justice  Brady^ 
Mr.  Kent,  Colonial/Secretary;  Judges  Little rad  Robinson,  several  offi- 
cers of  the  garrison  and  prominent  public  officials.     At  the  dose  of  the 
dinner  Lady  B4nnerman,retired,  after  which  the  company  indulged  in 
speech-makipg  for  about  an  hour,  when  they  adjourned  to  the  ball.    The 
first  toast  given  by  the  Governor  was  "  The  Queen  of  Great  Britain  and 
thfi^esident  of  the  United  States,"  which  was  drank  with  three  times 
^ee.     Then  followed  toasts   complimentary  to  Mr.   Field,   Captain 
Hudson,  Captain  Otter,  Oaptoin  Dayman  and  othen?,  to  whioh  brief 
speeches  were  made  in  reply.     When  the  Governor  and  his  guests 
entered  the  Colonial  building,  in  which  the  Provincial  Legislature 
holds  its  sessions,  and  in  which  tjje  ball  was  given,  they  were  received 
with  marked  distinction  by  the  large  comply  preaent     The  baU-room 


THE  FINAL   EXPEDITION. 


297 


n 


WM  handsomely  decorated  with  American  and  English  flags,  and  a  por< 
trait  of  Washington,  in  a  wroath  of  evergreens,  was  suspended  in  the 
most  conspicuous  plaoo.  The  ball,  which  was  a  must  sucoessful  affair, 
was  kept  up  till  daybreak.  It  sustained  the  reputation  of  St.  Johns  for 
both  the  grace  and  beauty  of  the  fairer  part  of  the  population,  and  it 
nee'd  not  be  wondered  at  if,  )ome  future  day,  we  should  hear  of  a  union 
taking  place  between  some  of  the  sovereign  citizens  of  the  free  republic 
and  some  of  the  fair  daughters  of  Newfoundland — a  union  of  a  still 
stronger  and  mQr«3  indissoluble  character  than  even  that  established  be- 
tween the  Old  World  and  the  New  by  the  electric  bond  which  now 
binds  them. 

The  day  after  the  ball  there  was  a  regatta  on  Lake  Qnidy  Vidi,  but 
as  Captain  Hudson  had  determined  on  starting  for  -New  Yofk  that 
afternoon,  we  were  .unable  to  wait  for  the  termination. 


X 


HOMEWARD  BQUND. 

At  length  the  hour  of  our  departure  arrived — we  were  at  last  Itomc- 
ward  bound.     Wo  could  hardly  realize  the  fact  that  we  were  not  again 
going  to  England,  instead  of  New  York,  and  that  the  cable  was  hucccss- 
fuUy  deposited  at  the  bottom  of  the  ocean.     For  home,  crowned  with 
success  I     How  slowly  the  ship  appears  to  move,  and  the  fog,  that  sets 
in  thicker  and  thicker  around  us,  seems  as  if  it  never  would  lift.     But 
we  have  no  reason  to  be  dissatisfied,  and  though  the  hours  were  never 
more  dull  and  monotonous,  yet  every  deky  only  enhances  the  pleasure  of 
meeting  our  friends  again.     How  we  metifsured  the  distance  each  day  on 
the  chart,  and  wished  th%t  it  were'  only  What  it  appeared  on  paper.     How 
we  tried  to  prove  that  we  had  overrun  our  reckoning,  and  were  nearer  to 
,our  destination  than  we  really  were.     How  we  calculated  on  the  wind, 
that  would  not  come  from  any  other  point  than  that  from  whi(!h  it  was 
not  wanted-;  and  how  eagerly  we  looked  for  any  change  in  the  sky  that 
promised  a  favorable  lireeife.     It  is  all  useless,  however,  for  here  wr  are 
in  our  fourth  day  from  St.  Johns  and  three  hundred  an^  eighty-five  m(les 
from  New  York ;  but  the  fog  would  not  clear,  and  the  wind  would  not 
c'orae,  and  without  observation  for  two  days,  what  could  wc  do  ?    Yes, 
here  we  are,  over  three  hundred  miles  from  New  York,  and  it  will  hardly 
be  credit€d,  with  a  pilot  on  board— a  New  York  pilot,  Mr.  William 
Maxwell,  whom  we  have  just  taken  from  *he  Mary  Taylor— the  first 
pilot  boat  built  by  Oeorge  Steers,  as  our  ship  was  one  of  the  last  he  ever 
constnicted.     Here  was  a  piece  of  enterprise  deserving  of  encourage- 
ment.   Even  at  a  distance  we  thought  she  was  a  New  York  boat,  and  we 
were  not  deceived  when  she  came  alonsiile.     The  pilot  was  soon  aboard, 


-^j 


■I 

I     !l 


296 


THB  OOKAW  TELEQKAPH. 


i  ! 


hi' 


/ 


and  M  the  graceful  little  vfessel  which  ho  had  just  left^ilod  by,  one  of 
her  crew  asked  if  wo  had  been  auecesafaL 
.,   "  Cupt.  Hudson,"  Baid  he,  "  is  the  cable  laid  ?  " 
"  Ye»,"  replied  the  captain,  "the  cable  is  laid." 
It  was  the  first  he  Lad  heard  of  til*,  fact,  for  the  boat  was  twolro  days 
out  of  New  York;  bat  it  e.identry  feykhim  by  surprise,     fulling  his 
cap  off  his  head,  he  gave  what  wa3^<febtles8  intended  for  a  cheer,  but 
which  was  nothir.g  more  or  less  Ihatt  a  perfect  yell  of  delight      That 
satisfied  him  and  it  satisfied  us,  for  it'was  worth  a  dozen  hurras,  both  to 
hear  and  see  the  spirit  with  which  it  was  done.    An  hour  after  the  Mary 
Taylor  was  away  beyond  the  horizon,  and  the  base  of  a  rainbow  rested 
on  the  point  where  we  had  watched  her  till  she  disappeared. 

•    V      V^'t  ^^"'  '^'^  ''^^*'''^  ''"°*''  ^^  European  propellers  bound  to 
.n.-  but  tlio  fog^soou  after  closed  in  and  we  saw  no  &ore  of  her 

.  As  Uhptain  Hudson ^fVed  to  speak  her  two  guns  were  fired,  to  which 
she  responded  with  t^  more,  but  she  must  have  kept  ofi  her  way  as  we 
could  not  sce-her  when  the  fog  partially  lifted.     On  tl.e  17th  wo  spoke 

^thc  pilot  boat  Edwin  Forrest,  and  asked  if  the  Queen's  bassago  had 
arrived,  to  which  we  received  a  reply  jn  the  affirmative.  This  was 
enough-tho  cable  was  not  only  laid,  but  fvas  in  th«  best  working  brder 
and  nothing  more  was  nece.ssary  to  complete  our  success.  The  pilot  boat' 
as  she  passed  astern,  saluted  us  by  firing  a  gun  and  dipping  her  flags,  to' 
which  we  responded  by  dipping  ours.  At  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  ihe 
tugboat  18  alongside.     Home  at  last ! 


ARRIVAL  OP  THE  MAOABA  ATNEW  YORK. 

It  was  about  five  o'clock  in  the  morqing  of  the  18th  of  August  that 
the  Niagara  arrived  off  Sandy  Book,  after  one  of  the  most  eventful  cruises 
on  which  ship  had  ever  sailed.     Already  had  the  news  of  her  arrival^ 
reached  New  York,  and  the  waking  city  beard  with  a  glad  heart  that  the 
long  expected  ship  had  returned  crowned  with  triumph.     Oa  her  passage 
up  the  bay  she  was  greeted  with  the  thunders  of  cannon  and  the  cheerit 
of  vast  multitudes  that  had  assembled  on  the  wharves  to  welcome  her 
home.     The  littlo  tugboat,  which  had  left  her  side  early  that  morning 
with  a  few  impatient  passengers  who  would  not  await  the  return  of  the 
tide,  reached  the  city  hours  before  the  historic  ship  herself      These 
passengers  were  Mr.   Field,  Mr.  Everett.  BIr.  Woodhouse,  Lieutenant 
tiie  Baron  de  Boy<^,  of  the  Russian  Nary,  Mr.  J.  C,  Eldridge,  purser  of 
Uio  Niagara  Captain  Matthew  D;  Field,  who  joined  the  v2e\  in  Trinity 
Bay  and  the  author.     When  leaving  the  Niagara,  on  board  of  which 
tfaeyhadepcnt  the  moat  eventful  period  of  their  Utcb,  the  little  oompanx„ 


led  by,  one  of 


(raatwolrodays 
*•  ^»iJl'Dg  his 
"or  &  oheeri^but 
delight.  That 
lurrng,  both  to 
after  the  Mary_^ 
rainbow  rested 
3d. 

Hers  bound  to 
0  more  of  her. 
ired,  to  which 
ber  way,  as  we 
7  til  wo  spoke 
'  inasaage  had 
ve.  This  was 
working  t>rder, 
rhe  pilot  boat, 
g  her  Dags,  to 
le  nioroing  the 


August  that 
'entful  cruises 
if  her  arrival' 
heart  that  the 
'11  her  passage 
1  tlie  cheering 
welcome  her 
that  morning 
'etum  of  the 
self.      These 
I,  Lieutenant 
ge,  purser  of 
ael  in  Trinity 
»rd  of  which 
ttle  oompany 


THK   mCAL   KXPKOrrfOlf. 


990 


gmre  the  osptain,  officers  and  crew,  ihret  hearty  eheera.  The  rigging 
was  immediately  manned,  and  as'  the  towboat  started  oo  h«r  way  to  tke 
eity  three  thundering  cheers  greeted  the  passengers  in  retarn. 

ft  was  four  o'clock  in  t^  afternoon  whdn  the  Niagara  steamed  up  the 
bay,  and  soon  after  anchored  in  the  East  Biver,  t^posite  the  Nary  Yard. 
While  lying  here  her  captain,  officers  and  crew;  were  visited  by  the  pnblio 
officials,  and  from  morning  to  njght  her  deck.s  were  so  crowded  as  to 
render  them  almost  impassable.     GPhe  public  cntliusiasm  was  unbounded, 
an,d  few  thought  of,  or  talked  of,  any  thing  else  bnt  thd  success  of  the  great 
enterprise.     The  night  before  the  arrival  of  the  ship  th^  city  was  illu- 
minated,'and  although  the  news  of  the  Hucccssful  landing  of  the  cable 
was  now  two  weeks  old,  th&  public  mind  seemed  as  ex&itcd  as  ever  at  the 
wondrous  achievement.     The  newspapers  were  filled  with  ^^ports  of  the 
celebration  of  the  event  all  over  the  oonntrv,  and  preparations  were  going  , 
on  for  the  1st  of  September,  which  had  bee^  appointed  as  thtj'great  day 
of  jubilee  and  rejoicing.     The  5th  of  Auj^t  was  justly  regarded  as  the 
inauguration  of  a  new  era,  an  era  bright  with  bopefal  prospc«ts  for  the 
whole  human  race.     The  thrilling  announcement  had  been  ma.de  to  the 
world  that  time  and  space  were  no  more,  and  that  the  great  ocean    . 
itself  no  longer  presented  a  barrier  to  the  communion  of  the  Old  World 
with  the  New.    All  the  various  nations  of  the  earth  were  brought  together 
again  as  members  of  the  one  family,  and  the  great  ideai  of  the  unity  of, 
the  race  was  re-established.     TV^is  it  any  wonder  that  the  mind  of  the 
people  of  the  freest  land  under  the  sun  should  be  moved  to  its  profpundest 
depth  when  the  great  principles  wbich  they  promulgated  w»r©  thus  brought 
nearer  to  their  practical  realization  ?   Not  only  the  barriers  of  space  and 
time  were  removed,  but  the  entrance  to  the  great'domain  of  the  Infinite 
seemed  open  to  man,  and  the  light  that  broke  in  from  the  other  wqrld  . 
tinged  with  its  golden  radiance  the  glorious  promises  of  that  good  time 
which  is  yet  to  come,  when  wars  shall  cease,  and  peace  and  h^pinees 
8hall*reign  over  all  the  earth.  .  v 

Already  tbo  rulers  of  the  two  countries  which  are  thus  united  have 
exchanged  congratulations,  and  their  messages  flftcak  the  language  of 
friendship  and  goodwill— language  that  deserves  to  be  recorded  iii  letters 
of  light  for  future  generations. 

THE  QUEENS  MESSAGE.  / 

To  THK  Pb«8id«»t  or  TH«  Ubimd  StaiIes,  Wishikotos. 
The  Queen  desires  to  oongratolate  the  Premdwit  upon  the  suooessfnl 
completion  of  Uiis  great  international  work,  in  which  the  Queen  has 
taken  the  deepest  interest. 

The  Qvem  is  BOPTiooed  that  tho  PrsMdent  wU  join  with  hw  in  far- 


i| 


900 


THR  OOBAir  TKUOKAPH. 


I'  .in 


"  '  w!^  fhrii  «      '  ''"?*"•'  "••*'"  "^^'^  ""'  '^"^^^  0"*t  Briton 
Wi^ho  Unjted  8t.t«»  w  U  p«,ve  .n  additional  link  between  the  nation,^ 

MtZi.  "        t     "P^"  ^'^^^  ^o""""*"*  interest  and  r«oip«,cal 

The  QBeeA  Lm  much  0e4sur«  in  thus  oommunioating  with  the  Prci- 

atl       """''"*  *"  '^"'  1"'  '"''"'  '"'  "^^  P""P«''*^  '>f  '^^  United 

THE  PEESIDBNrs  MESSAOR 

WlBHwoToif  CiTT,  Anguat  16,  1888. 
Tk      iJ^""''  Vieronii,  T,.t  Qrrr.N  of  0«at  Britain 
M  •    *    .u    A"^"°*  '*''^'''"-''  rc-nrocates   the  congratulationa  of  her 

InS  '     '  ""'^"'  "'•"•  "■'  ^^^'"^^'^"^  ^»-«y  of  *h^twl 

It  i8  A  triumph  more  glorious,  because  far  mpre  useful  to  mankind, 
than  waa  eror  won  by  conqueror  on  the  field  o^  battle 

May  the  Atlantic  Telegraph,  under  the  blessing  of  Hearen  prove 

atioL'  ;'  ""■  ^'^^'^''^  ^'"^  ?'  fr'-<'«''>P  between  the  kind  ^ 
nations,  and  an  instrnmont  destined  by  Divine  Providence  to  difiu« 
religion  civilization,  liberty  and  law  throughout  the  world. 

In  this  new,  wUl  not  all  nations  of  Christendom  spontaneously  unite 

mcationsshal    be  held  sacred  in  passing  to  their  places  of  destinatiol 
even  ift  the  midst  of  hostilities  ?  ' 

JAMES  BUCHANAN. 

-  THE  NIAGARA  AS  SHE  APPEARED  AFTER  THE  CBTJISB. 

.™«f  ^.T"^  "  "'^^^  '***'*''  '"  "0'''^«^  ^'tl*  P««Ple  after  her 
amval,  and.the  greatest  interest  was  exhibited  in  the  cable  circles  and 
the  paying^out  machinery,  none  of  which  had  been  removed.  Those 
who  vxsued  the  ^^  Md,  therefore,  a  pretty^fair.  opportunity  of  In" 
all  that  was  worth  seeing,  so  far  a^  the  work  of  laying  the  cable  i! 

T:::i  I!S  """'  *'V'"^^^'  *^«  ^^''-'  *^^  dynLoLt  t 
circles  contained  some  eighty  or  ninety  miles  of  cubic  coUed  and  ready 

L!7f  I  *'  V  ^  .T^'  "P  ^*"  "'™~^»*«-  The  flooring  of  two  or 
t^ree  of  the  circles  had  been  removed,  but  the  remainder  were  «  perfect 
M  .t  «iy  tune  whfle  the  work  of  »abmergidg  the  cable  in  the  de^  of 


i 


^%/--i 


Tint  fTUAL  KXPKBmoN. 


Wi 


(reat  Britaii) 
1  the  oatioiu, 
id  reoiprooal 

th  the  Prob- 
'  thd  United 


it  16,  18S8. 

ona  of  her 
1  enterprise 
of  the  twd 

0  mankind, 

iven,  prove 

he  kindred 

to  diffiiae 

JUflly  unite 
ts  oommu- 
estination, 

i-NAN. 


after  her 

ircles  and 

Those 

of  seeing 

cable  is 
leter,  the 
'0  of  the 
nd  ready 
i  jeweler 
)f  two  or 
8  perfect 
ieptha  of 


the  ocean  #ttl  in  progress.     There  were-  three  circles  on  the  spar  deck, 
♦wo,  ^hioh  wefke  forward  of  the  engine  hatch,  iiad  no  cable,  but  the  third, 
which  was  aft  of  the  name  part  of  the  ship,  had  twenty  or  thirty  miles  in  one 
coil.    Abore  each  of  these  a  temporary  staging  waa  erected  for  the  purpdse 
of  facilitating  the'  piJying-ont  process.     Wbile  the  work  was  going  on  no    - 
one  was  allowed  on  any  part  of  this  staging  who  had  no  business  there — 
not  even  the.  officers  of  the  ship.    This  rule  waa  carried  out  to  the  fullest 
extent,  aiAi  with  the  most  despotic  rigor.  It  was  along  this  staging  that  the 
splicer,  Paino,  walked  with  the  "  bight"  in  his  hand  when  the  last  fiithom  in 
the  hold  coil  was  paid  out,  and  when   the  wardroom  coil  was  reached. 
The  covering  of  the  engine-hatchway  bore  the  marks  of  the  curiosity  of  one 
of  the  men,  who,  in  his  exertions  to  get  a  glimpse  6f  Paine  jihile  perform- 
ing  this  feat,  smashed  the  glass  and  nearly  lost  his  life  by  his  temerity. 
'  The  iron  bobbins  over  which  the  cable  passed  on  its  way  to  the  machine, 
were  not  touched,  and  although  an  effort  was  made  to  remove  the  tar, 
it  was  found  impossible  to  do  so  wholly,  and  traces  of  it  could  still  bo 
seen  by  the  visitors.     For  six  whole  days  and  nights  those  same  bobbins 
never  stoppedi^revolving,  and  they  always  saluted  the  car  with  the  self- 
same rattling  sound— a  sound,  by  the  way,  that  was  peculiarly  pleasant, 
conveying  ffl^it  did  the  information  that  the  cable  was  going  out  sviccess- 
fully.     Passing  farther  aft,  the  visitor  came  to  the  great  u'achii.o  itself, 
and  it  is  as  perfect  a  piece  of  mechanism^of  its  kind  as  was  ever  con- 
structed.   While  it  was  in  operation  none  but  those  on  duty  wore  allowed 
to  go  near  enough  to  brush  their  skirts  against  it— they  could  hardly 
get  sufficiently  close  to  touch  it  with  a  six-foot  pole,  so  strict  were  the 
regulations.    No  one  dare  transcend  the  written  law  which  was  displayed 
close  by,  informing  all  who  had  no  business  there  that  there  they  must  not 
go.      It  was  certainly  a  well  guarded  spot,  and  the  sentry  who  kept 
watch  near  it  was  as  rigid  as  an  icicle— which  means  that  ho  would 
sooner  break  than  bend.      Then,  J|p  if  all  this  was  not  sufficient,  the 
whole  was  inclosed  with  a  rope  that  extended  beyond  the  dynamometer, 
bringing  that  within  the  prescribed  limits.     All  these  regulations  and 
rules,  however,  ended  with  the  landing  of  the  cable,  and  the  machinery 
waa  as  fV^e  to  inspection  as  any  part  of  the  ship.    The  rope  was  removed, 
and  the  sentry  no  longer  kept  watch  over  the  prohibited  ground.     The 
paying-out  machine  had  done  its  duty,  and  done  it  well,  and  was, 
perhaps,  as  deserving  of  attention  as  any  thing  else  on  bpard  the  ship.   It 
was  perfect  in  every  particular,  so  that  those  who  were  of  a  mechanical 
or  scientific  turn  of  mind  oonld,  study  it  in  all  ita  details.     There  were 
the  two  sheaves,  with  the  four  grooves,  in  which  the  cable  ran,  and  there 
the  brake-wheels  on  the  same  shaft,  so  that  the  speed  of  the  former 
— «0uia lOwityaba  regulated  hy  tbfl  latter.    The  end  of  the  machine  showed^ 


;!*rl^-^;W■;^c>^v:1:^;■ 


m 


THE  OCKAH  TBLBOBAPB. 


If  ^,  I 


^■Lri 


I-  'i  t 


II  ^'V 


4n 


Hi 
r  :  -f  'i 


r*.K,  i'""^';:'^  P"""*^'  '•^'*  '«"  "»«**»«  increase  the  «tmn  upof 
the  re.dern.u8t  be  fan»U„  with  its  aetion.  The  dynamometer  Ihii 
atood  w.thuj  a  few  feet  of  the  machine,  of  which  it  is  au  import!  i^ 

difficultj  in  understanding  the  principle  on  which  it  worked.     FrthTr 

uu«  part  of  the  sh.p  was  for  the  men  who  were  stationed  here   and 

h^Z  t  en Lr  d  1  ''^''Z  *'^  "'^'^^^  ^  "^^  «^-'  «^  ^^  breaking  in  or 
before  it  entered  the  machine.    The  moment  the  word  was  paLd  to 

le  aZ"  "JT""'  '■''  ^""™^  *^'y  '-«  **  once  to  pn^^  th^ 

rope  stoppers,  which  were  always  at  hand,  and  by  whieh  it  ^u    Jv 

hold  the  cable  until  the  fractured  part  ^uJd  brs;u:ed     Xtlltl^ 

watclTh*^*  *'"'"?  '^*"^  ""'^  *"  ^^'^  "^^^  ^J^o  oouTBe  of  the  cable  was  " 
watohed  by  more  ^«.  a  doaen  men,  while  nearly  thrice  that  numl" 

six^-^iies  o?:^irrco^ed'^::s.r:^tg^^^^^^^^^^ 

tfCir  :::;!lt!^  the  in^mments  b.,,^„  removed,  2 
««  iimiis  alone  were  traceable.     As  the  visitor  proceeded  for«.«i  a« 
thu,  point  he  came  to  another  circle,  and  loo^gTou^  ttrhl^hJ^r 

lower  circle     Tl.;»  ».=  ♦!.        •.-    ,         ^  ^  o*n!e  ont  of  the 

noi  oircie.     11118  was  the  critical  moment    aid  lU  »;.u„-        u 

wuipa  w^re  intended  as  sumal  iruns  and  »Jia  ♦— ^i»    • 
on  her  sDar-denk     Ti.„»-  *t     V        . '  *olve  imateose  ports 


.  --^wi 


\ 


'*^l  WWftw^/IW  v*r.r>-ilttT  »: 


THE  FINAL  KXPEDITION. 


303 


ana  of  oblong 
e  strain  v^b 
1  already  that 
iinet«r,  yrhieh 
iportant  part, 
isitor  had  do 
sd.    Further 
^  entered  the 
g  fiJ-ooted  on 
ed  here,  and 
eaking  on  or 
as  passed  to 
0  pot  on  the 
»*8  hoped  to 
Fortunately, 
■ely  nominal 

>e  cable  was 
bat  number 
out,  to  look 
ainiog  some 
cttnvas,  but 
ih  t^e  cable 
Ua  coil  vas 
moved,  and 
"Ward  horn 
'  hatchway, 
nd  another 
[reatest  in- 
ont  of  the 
itor  could 
tense  must 
when  the 
it  reached 


by  drawing  together  in  closer  communion  the  several  nations  of  the 
earth,  than  any  mere  man-of-war  could  have  done.  She  has  helped  to 
lay  the  cable,  and  in  what  grander  or  nobler  work  could  any  vessel  be 
engaged  ?  This  it  is  which  has  rendered  her  famous,  and  given  her  an 
interest  in  the  eyes  of  the  people  of  the  United  States,  greater  than  if 
she  had  gained  the  most  brilliant  victory  on  record.  She  did  not,  per- 
haps, look  as  presentable  to  the  eye  of  the  naval  critic  as  if  each  side  of 
her  deck  were  lined  with  guns ;  and  the  tar  spots  which  frequently  met 
the  eye,  may  have  seemed  unsightly  tQ  what  are  called  refined  tastes, 
but  they  are  preferable  to  blood  stains ;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  there  may 
be  more  frequeat  employment  for  the  cable  machinery  than  for  the  can- 
non. 


I     ll 


A.  T.  OO.'l  ITATtoa  nODIB. 


.* 


looked  as 

c.     There 

four  oan- 

9Bfle  ports 

m-of-war, 

of  peace, 


■.^jStt. 


-.'*vi,-«i^/V 


ml  ' 


I  H 


111* 


m 

\\H< 


WJl 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 


MB.  CYRUS  W.  FIELD'S  DIARY. 

sin.^  leaving,  Vneenstowri'S^"'""  '  ^""''''''^  '"^"''  "  "^P^  «f '"y  diary 

and  th6  AgamemnoS  a  few  hourakter     All  tK^"'  I*"*  ^'^™  »*  ^  ^0  p.  m., 

as  p6B8ible  in  getting  to  tKndezv;^     TTn  f^  r'"'  '*?  "^  "«  "*"«  '^ 

■Wue:sky;  from  5  to  9p  m  ove\3  S*  MP  to  5  r.  m.  clear  weather  and 

vamng^'f^m  W^^  to '/ W  ?  h^''  ^.*'^  ^t"  ^  ^'^^  ™«"»i««-    Wind 

Monday,  JaWl9-wSldvLr!i'J  ^^  "t™<>''phere,  cloudy  andTqually 
cloudy  aad  «iny^  ^^"^  ^""^mg  from  W.  to  N.  W. ;  h^y  atmospheA- 

and^Sr/'  •'^^20.~W-d  from  .V.  W.toN.,  hazy  atoospher«,  cloudy 

waJ^Tu'dy''''"'^'^--^^'^^.  W.,with  Blight  variations  to  the  east- 

'^^^"jn^y^^-wi^LJ^^^-^^'--  «ky  and  cloudy. 
Olondv,  haky  atlgphe  JaS  ,Sn     NiJ^^a^^r^  J'  ^Z  ^-  "*'  N.  N.  W. 
P.  »^,  fatitude  52°  5' N.,  Witu™32°  42^        ""^  **  rendezvous  at  8  30 

cloudy^d^qi^i^  ''-^^'^  N-  N-  W.  and  N.  by  E.    Hazy  atmosphe. 
andlTd^!'  ^"'^  25.-Va,orous  arrival  at  4  .  ..    Calm.  ^  atmosphere, 

^''Str""°"^^«'^4i™^^^^  C*Pt.01dh.m,ofthe 

WKD^^i°^5„^-  aa'SfSfS  ST^*"-  «°n5on  arrived  at  5  p.  k. 
atmosphere.  Wm^n  ar^K?  5  ?"  k  *  '  *"°"  "^  •*'"*  "'y  *"'^  ^ 
fle.t^'',1Ji,;°'^g^-^i*«t««fe  527  N.  longitude  32»  27'  W.  TeWph 
Splice  madeS  1  p  k  C^i.^I?*'*  ^Ajh<m  8.  B.  to  8.  8.  E.  cS 
b«»tl  both  sipL  J;4,t^%h*^';fate?iSoV%ll"«^^  of  thecJblTt- 
entrance  of  Val^tiVharU»r  Mfn-nfilf  •.  '^"^^ f«tlx»ns.  Distance  to  the 
P»Ph  House  th.  8hoJ?25  of  cabK  Sd  ""dL?''  ^?.  *''*™  *«  *''^  Telc 
Uy:&.y,  Newfoundland,  8a  na"  i4l  ,n»i.  ^Ti^  ^u^  •'°*'*"'*  "fTrin- 


^.(K?^ 


,  «i«»?'iii 


OFFICIAL    KEP0KT8. 


305 


<  18,  1858.^ 

don : 

y  ofmy  diary 

ueenatown  as 
It  7  30  P.  M., 
>  aa  little  coal 
weather  and 
■iJBsIing  rain; 

•ning.    Wind 
nd  squally, 
atmosphere, 

here,  cloudy 

»  the  east- 

I  N.  N.  W. 
ous  at  8  30 

itmosphcre 

atmosphere, 

ham,  of  the 

d  at  5  p.  M . 
y  and  hazy 

Telegraph 
Cloudy. 
5  cable  on 
tnoe  to  the 
•  the  Tele- 
ueof  Trin- 
Telcgraph 


u&emnon. 


The  Niagara  and  the  Agamemnon  have  each  abairt  1,100  nautical  miles  of 
cable  on  board — nearly  the  same  quantity  as  last  yCar.  At  7  4?  p.  m.  ship's 
time,  or  10  05  p.  m.,  Greenwich  time,  signals  from  Agarriemnon  ceased,  and 
the  tests  applied  by  the  electricians  showed  that  there  was  a  want  of  continu- 
ity on  the  cable,  but  the  insulation  was  perfect  Kept  on  paying  out  from 
Niagara  very  slowly,  and  constantly  applying  all  kinds  of  electrical  tests, 
until  9  10  p.  M.,  ship's  time,  or  11  30  Greenwich  time,  when  agai"  commenced 
receiving  perfect  signals  from  the  Agamemnon. 

FmnAY,  July  30.  — Latitude  6P  50'  N.,  longitude  34°  49'  W.  Dis- 
tance run  by  observation  last  23  hours,  89  niile^ ;  do.  by  ship's  log,  99^ ;  do. 
by  engineei's  log,  102;  do.  by  patent  log,  106:3.  Paid  out  131  miles  900 
fathoms  cable,  or  a  surplus  of  42  miles  900  fathoms  over  distance  run  by  ob- 
servation, equal  to, 48  per  cent.  Depth  of  water,  1.550  to  1,975  fathoms. 
Wind  from  S.  E.  to  8.  Weather  thick  and  rainy,  with  some  sea.  Gorgon  in 
position.  At  3  50  a.  m.  finished  the  main  deck  coil,  and  commenced  paying 
out  from  the  berth  deck. 

467  miles  from  water,  1,466  fathoms. 
547      "         "         "       1,080         " 
677     "         "         '•        466         " 

747     *'        "        "        200        "  [ity  Bay. 

^  793     "        "    Telegraph  House  at  Bay  of  Bulla'  Arm,  Trin- 

At  2  20  p.  M.  received  signal  from  on  board  the  Agamemnon  that  they  had 
paid  out  150  miles.  At  2  36  p.  m.,  had  paid  out  from  Niagara  150  miles  cable, 
a:  '  informed  engineers  on  board  of  Agamemnon  of  the  same. 

SATrBDAT,  July  31.— Latitude  51°  5'  N.  longitude  38°  28'  W.  Distance 
run  by  observation  last  24  hours,  137  miles ;  distance  run  by  ship's  log  last 
24  hours,  141f  miles;,  distance  run  by  engineer's  log  last  24  hours,  142^ 
miles ;  distance  run  by  patent  log  last  24  hours,  137.6  miles.  Paid  out 
159  miles  813  fathoms  cable,  or  a  surplhs  of  22  miles  843  fathoms  over  dis- 
tance run  by  observation — equal  to  17  per  cent.  Depth  of  water  from  1,657 
to  2,250  fathoms.  Wind  moderate,  S.  E.  to  S.  W. ;  and  from  6  a.  m.,  N.  W. 
by  N.  Weather  cloudy,  with  rain  and  some  sea.  Gorgon  in  position.  Total 
amount  of  cable  payed  out,  291  milc^  730  fathoms.  Total  distance  run  by 
observation,  226  miles.  Total  distance  run  by  patent  log,  242.9  miles.  Total 
distance  run  by  ship's  log,  241  i  miles.  Total  distance  run  by  engineer's  log, 
244^  miles.  Surplus  cable  paid  out  over  distance  run  by  observation,  65  miles 
730  fathoms,  equal  to  29  per  cent.  330  miles  from  water,  1,465  fathoms ; 
410  miles  from  water,  1,080  fathoms ;  450  miles  from  water,  465  fathoms  ; 
510  miles  from  water,  200  £kthoms;  656  miles  from  Telegraph  House.  At 
1  14  V.  M.  had  paid  out  firom  Niagara  300  miles  of  cable,  and  informed  engi- 
neers on  board  of  Agamemnon  of  the  same.  At  2  45  p.  m.  received  signal 
from  on  board  the  Agamemnon,  that  they  had  paid  out  from  her  300  miles 
cable.  At  5  37  p.  m.  ftaished  the  coil  on  berth  deck,  and  commenced  to  pay 
out  flpom  the  lower  deck. 

SusDAT,  August  L—Latitude  60°  32"  N.,  longitude  41°  65'  W.  Distance 
run  by  observation  last  twenty-four  hourSj  145  miles ;  distance  run  by  ship's 
log  last  twenty-four  hours,  139  miles;  distance  run  bv  engineer's  log  laat 
twenty-four  hours.  142  tailes;  distance  run  by  patent  log  last  twenty-four 
hours,  141  7-10  miles.  Paid  out  164  miles  683  fethoms  cable,  or  a  surplas 
of  19  miles,  683  fothoms  Over  distance  run  by  observation— equal  .to  14  per 
cent  Depth  of  water,  l^S^  to  2,424  fathoms.  Wind  moderate  and  freah, 
from  N.  N.  E.  to  N.  E.  Weather  cloudy,  misty  with  squalls  and  heavy  swell. 
Gorgon  in  position  and  keeping  our  course  verv  accurately.  Total  amount  of 
rahiB  lyiii  oiit.  456  milea  400  fkthoma.  Total  distance  run  by  obacrvaaon, 
Sniifcfc  'RliJ  dlslinc^  run  ^  pa&M  Jog,  384.6  mtlBB.  ivm  «mt«w" 
run  by  ship's  log,  380|  liilto.  Tptal  dislinco  run  by  •ngmcnr's  log,  886^ 
2Q  .  V ,  : 


\C.'^'  ^U%i%> 


<'W   ^.l 


806 


THB  OCEA^IT  TTXBOBAPH. 


■ 


f 


fitthoma;  365  miles  to  water  MO  fkttlTu  i^?.""'  ."^^^  "".'**  **»  '^*«'''  ^6^ 
Telegraph  Housed  At  S^WrMfiS!^  '  ^^  ""'*'  -^  '*'"''  ^"  '""«''*« 
chaSedto  coil  in  the  hold     "*"         '^^'^  ^^'"^  **"'  ~"  «"  '«'^«'  <1«^  "^^d 

log  last  tx.mty-ionrhmnluZ^^cldlt^'^'  ^^"^  ™nb}r  chip's 
twenty,  four  houHL  14U  miies  •  diSf™  ^^  ^  engineer's  log  iast 

!«*«,  141.7  miS.  Aid  ^t  17T^nJT^«H^'*°*  '*"!,''«*  twen^-four 
of  23  mUes  ISOlShom?  oy°r  distL^  «.n  1*^  fathoms  cable,  or  a  surplus 
cent.  Depth  of  wat^  1  WO  to  2?Rw\k^  observation-equal  to  15  V 
cloudy.    Gorgon  iAWtion     T^ptJIo        "*'l?™^■^'"'*  "°'^-     W«»t«*r 

loul  LcW  oT,"3r  "blo^/™S^/";.V  mgimsrt  log,  sas  mil„; 
108  »ite  500  fttboZ"  kS  <C  2T»r^„?  'iT  I™.  "■'■  <*"™"io», 
ath«,»»i  111  n,Ue..ffc„'S.%0  &r,V,?    "fc'C?""''f.'.« 


fathoms,  ...  .^..^^  .^om  ^ 

miles  from  Telegraph  House  At'l9qs7'J — li  -•"".■'«.  u^m  lana;  n'jj 
time,  imperfect  TnsSution  of  c^Ie  dSr-^^'c '*"P  !.*™''  f  «»«  Greenwich 
from  Aga.„emnon.  whlchV4?JS  ut^fis"".  T^^li^ZT^'^'' 
Greenwich  ,time,  when  all  was  riirht  »<«;«     n>h    f'  u   ^    1  "^  '"^  °-^  *•  »»•) 


pluaofUmiSTrRa  &th„nT:«  ''"'^•'^^  ""*'«  <^  **oms  cab 

Jer  cent    DeSh'o?  ^t^lo'J^^  t^^'^.  /_""  b^obser^tion-eq^  to  10 


miles  800  fathoms-  totij  E^  «  k  T""*  °^  «»"«  paid' out,  795 
di.tance  run  ^^Lt\^  mf^}J^JL^^^'^''\^'^^  milesftotil 
f  e. ;  total  d^tiK;„^fSt«SL^  T*^f  «''•?'«  '«&  «8H 

plus  cable  paid  out  over  distwSe  nm  K^'^  mleBj  total  amount  of  snr- 
—leas  than  19  ner  ant  7^S  5^  V  **^?S7**'°"'  ^23  miles  300  &thoni9 
land ;  Kiirto'i^egiJh'H^  "^M's^l^'i'T-^  Jf?  ™^"  *<>  -*'" 
from  hold,  and  oommenld^vW^i't  f^J^^  "'  ^■"^*^  S"»*°?  <>»» «>» 
remaining  on  board  at^n  AM  1^1  ^t^!^  coil;  sfe  mfles  c»bK 
on  boMtfthe  AaSwmiZ Vf  Ai    k  ;?•  ";<  «'>'P'lOn>e,  received  sigmils  from 

««i  received  signal  frorL'^uSjt'^"'  T^T  ^*  ^  ^<>  '•  «•.  "^p's 
firthSms.  At  10^0  P  M  BhS'8  ^^.°°  **^*  ^«  '^  '°  water  V  m 
mfomed  AgamemSn  of  the  UL     ^     "*^  "^  '"^'  «^  ««>  *»»»<«««.  -"d 

««-*«»  na,  S^eS^oi  14^  mijf'*5?r  ™?  byawHog,  149  mfles ; 
»a«.  Paid  out  KSJs  ol)  &?h^™f '  u5!*^°**  ""  ?»y  P»^°*  '°Kt  »*» 
ftthom.  over  distwoe  i^in  bf  „hl!^^-  **''^  *":  "  "^"^  «f  «  "'  "^  ''eo 

»».     "*>»uiwoeauunij,|)atAoUjcaIm.    Gorgon  ia  ' 


€ 


i  distance  ran  by 
i5  miles  to  wuter 
l«8  to  water,  466 
land,  511  miles  to 
I  lower  deck,  and 

37  W.    Di«tance 
ice  run  by  chip's 
igineer's  log  last 
last  twenty-four 
le,  or  a  surplus 
-equal  to  15  per  ' 
lorth.     WeatRer 
1  rollmg  heavily, 
tae  of  accident,  it 
U  7  >.  M.  passed 
rotal  amount  of 
by  obsorration, 
i  total  distance 
I  log,  528  miles ; 
by  observation, 
om  water,  1,465 
rom  water,  465 
rom  land;  357 
3  88  Greenwich 
eceiving  signals 
«,  or  8.40  A.  M., 
ad  to  be  in  the 
the  lower  end, 

"  23'  W.    Dis-    . 
listance  run  by 
'  engineer's  log 
)g  last  twenty- 
We,  or  a  sur- 
n— equal  to  10 
W.    Weather 
paid' out,  795 
I  miles;  total 
hip's  log,  661i 
moont  of  snr- 
fl  300  ftthom'? 
Mies  to  water, 
«3[inp  out  coil 
S  miles  cabh 
i  signals  from 
niles  of  cable. 
0  P.  M.,  ship's 
•rater  of  200 
fiithoma,  and 

2°    43'    W.       " 
%  149  mfles ; 
tent  log,  142 
8  Di  „,.    •>60 


Gorgoain 


OFFICIAL    RTKPOETS. 


30T 


€■ 


position.  Total  amount,  of  cable  paid  out,  949  miles  660  fathoms ;  total 
amount  nm  by  observation,  818  miles  ;  total  amount  nin  by  patent  log, 
802  4-10  miles;  total  amount  run  by  hhip's  log,  810^  miles;  total  amount 
run  by  engineer's  Tog,  815i  miles.  Surplus  <Able  paid  out  over  distance  run 
by  observation,  131  miles  660  fathoms,  about  10  per^cent. ;  64  miles  from  tho 
Telegraph  House.  Received  signal  from  Ap^memnon  at  noon  that  they  had 
paid  out  from  her  940  miles  of  cable.  Passed  this  morning  several  icebergs. 
Made  the  land  off  entrance  to  Trinity  Bay  at  8  p.  m.  Entered  Trinity  Bay  at 
12  30  P.M.  At  2  30  P.M.  stopped  sending  signals  to  Agamemnon  for  14 
minutes,  for  the  purpose  of  making  spUco. 

Thubsdat,  August  5. — At   145  a.m.,  Niagara  anchored.    Distance  run   • 
since  noon  j'esterday,  64  miles;   amount  of  cable  paid  out,  66  miles   382 

.fiithoms,  being  a. loss  of  less  than  4  per  cent.  Total  amount  of  cable  payed 
out  since  splice  was  made,  1,016  miles  600  fathoms.  .Total  amount  of  distance^ 
882  miles.     Amount  of  cable  paid  out  over  distance  run,  134  miles  600 

*  fathoms,  being  a  surplus  of  about  15  per  cent.  At  2  a.m.  I  went  ashore  in  a  ~ 
small  boiat,  and  awoke  persons  in  charge  of  the  Telegraph  House,  half  a  mile 
from  landing,  and  informed  them  that  the  Telegrnph  fleet  had  arrived,  aiid 
were  ready  to  land  the  end  of  the  cable.  At  2  45  received  signal  from  the 
Agamemnon  that  she  had  paid  out  1,010  miles  cable.  At  4  a.  m.,  delivered 
the  following  lelegraphfo  despatch  for  the  Associated  Press,  to  be  forwarded 
to  New  York  as  early  in  the  morning  as  the  offices  of  the  line  were  open : 

TJNrrED  States  Stiaji  Frioatr  Niagara, 
Trinity  Bat,  Newfoundland,  August  6,  1858. 
To  THK  AssociATEO  Fkess,  Ncw  Tork — 

The  Atlantic  Telegraph  fleet  sailed  frorri  Queenstown,  Ireland,  Saturday, 
July  17,  to  meet  in  mid  ocean  Wednesday,  July  28.  Made  the  splice  at  1 
P.  M.,  Thursday,  the  29th,  and  separated — the  Agamemnon  and  Valorous, 
bound  to  Valentia,  Ireland  ;  the  Niagara  and  Ooi^n  for  this  place,  where 
they  arrived  yesterday,  and  this  morning  the  end  of  tbe  cable  will  bo 
landed. 

It  i9  1,696  nautical,  or  1,950  statute  miles  from  the  Tel^t^raph  House  at 
the  head  of  Valentia  harbor  to'^  the  Telegraph  House  at  tho  Bay  of  Bulls, 
Trinity  Bay,  and  for  more  than  two-thirds  of  this  distance  the  water  is  more 
than  two  miles  in  depth.  The  cable  has  been  paid  out  from  the  Agamemnon 
at  about  tbe  same  speed  as  from  the  Niagara.  The  electric  signals  sent  and 
received  through  the  whole  cable  are  |)erfect. 

The  machinery  for  paying  out  the  cable  worked  in  the  most  satisfactory 
manner,  and  was  not  stopped  for  a  single  moment  from  the  time  the  splice 
was  made  until  we  arrived  here. 

Capt^n  Hudson,  Messrs.  Everett  and  Woodhouse,  the  engineers,  the 
electricians,  tho  oflBcers  of  the  ship,  and  in  fact,  every  man  on  board  the  tele- 
graph fleet,  has  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost  to  make  the  expedition  success- 
ful, and  by  the  blessing  of  Divine  Providence  it  has  succeeded. 

After  the  end  of  the,cable  is  landed  and  connected  with  the  land  line  of 
telegraph,  and  the  Niagara  fats  discharged  some  cargo  belonging  to  the  Tele- 
graph Company,  she  will  go  to  St  Johns  for  coal,  and  then  proceed  to  New 
York  at  once. 

Cvauf  W.  FiBUL 

The  suchineiy  jncjtaying  ont  tbe  cable  is  certainly  all  that  could  ht  de- 
sired. The  brakes  ars-perfect.  The  greatest  strain  ever  upon  tbe  cable  was 
23  cwt.,  and  that  only  ior  a  short  time.    The  cable  was  paid  out  at  an  angle 

rliTii  iTr  iiin"Wi"iiii  TirB,rTTrK  Willi    iIH?    ii"*~ifi"n[  sutz  »fc  ttii  ayymyr giiuuui  uk„ 


six  miles  and  a  half  |iar  hour;  tad  the  average  speed  of  the  ship  during  tbe 


1 


'■^:;-'l4'- 


■»U'9/ 


m»*:   !i\k:. 


M^i 


■imii-! 


308 


THE  OCEAN  ^LEQRAJPH. 


J. 

it 

,  (iHi 

It  s'ii '! 

^¥' 
m. 


I?:- 


1^ 

II' ! 


ET^ 


Whole  ^ime  the  ca^Ie  ^  as  ^Mng  snbmefged/of  flve'  and  two^third  n.iles  per 

The  cable  was  well  coiled,  and  ran  out  beautifully.    Left  with  M  de  Sanf  ^ " 
at  hi8  request,  one  and  a  half  miles  of  the  raised  rahln  »nH    >.„     ■  ^^' 

P.^»ri  tr  '  *i'«STaph  cable  landed     At  C;  eud  of  cable  oarri'ed  into  Tel- 

Niagara,  then  read  prayers,  and  made  some  remarks.     ^  '       ^^"^ 

omm/'  'ill  Jf.  i*-'^*^''  '''^'"'""  ^"'■^•'"  ^'^  »  '•''3  1  salute  of  twenty- 

To>,L"'^''T\i^"^^*  ,*':  "J  2  *•  ■«■'  "team-tug  Blue  Jacket  arrived  from  St 
and^\^'  Mr.  Brookmg^s  partner  was  one  of  the  passenger^  M  D^Sautv 
M  r?/lf  .""^^  K™  ^  '^"^^  ^'"'^  Telegraph  House  finished  as  soon  as  r^sSj 

SorS^F-^i^--^^«^^ 
fc^de^diSadotrs  A  £  w^ro^^sirr^ 

DmKCTOBs  0^  •iM*«;,,c  Tkl-obaph  Comp^kt.  London  ■     ^''^  "'  '^'"'"'  ""•  ''• 
mor^iipj^'^rcfto-riTt^^^^^^^^ 

thgtiSs^ttL^^'Thr^^^^^^^^^^  ' 

order  anotlier,  manufactured  in  time  to  lay  next  suSr!  ^^  ^  ' 

of  Jirst^^^'rpir; '"'  *'^  ^""^  '^"'^  ^^^^  ^-'  «^-'^  p-- 

the?SXT'T'^  byjel|graph  a  number  of  messages,  among  which  wei^ 

ToCn.™  W.F«.n.Es...TrinityB.y:^""""'  '"""''  ''"'  ^''^' ''  ^'''• 
♦l.«^-?'*?  ^'* :— I  congratulate  you  with  all,  my  heart  upon  the  success  of 
O*  Tk**?,"**.  "^^^  ''^''^  y»"^  n»™e  isso  howrablvTnnected 


fours,  very  respectfully, 


James  Buchanan. 


•^^'■v 


MdJ.. '/.:■;'■:  ..r^ 


:4,.';vj-v'  7' K^:)-'.;ji*.-,^.\»i^tfm(j;^g_ 


ro^third  uiiles  per 

with  M.  de  SaiUy, 
I  there  is  now  re- 
manufactured  this 
;ed  la^t  year  and 

ng  of  the  cable,  I 
itis.   ^ 

carried  into  Tel- 

ioi'ty  through  the 

Huilsofi,  of  the 

alute  of  twenty- 

1  Company,  from 
iied.  Received  a 
uccessful  landing 
•f  Her  Jfajesty'a 
>  led  the  r^ifiji;ara 

great  circle  arc. 
ajesty's  steamer 
Bted  the  Niagara 
:horage  near  the 

rrived  from  St. 
I.  M.  De  Sauty 
soon  as  possible. 
hardly  any  pro- 
»at  they  wanted 
the  Telegraph 
;  despatch, to  be 

'  HCLLS,  N.  F. 

i  six  Thursday 
with  ends  pre- 

2  Gorgon,  Coni. 
was  the  calile' 
>rward  by  mail 

3  W.  PlBLD. 

ismit  promptly  * 
I  that  you  will  ■ 

',  should  prove 

ig  which  were 

g«st  6,  1858. 

the  success  of 

lected. 

ve  instruroen- 

id  nations.    I 


Buchanan. 


OEKIOIAX.   EErOETS. 


309 


Nkw  York,  August  0,  1868. 
To  Craps  W.  Fiklp,  Trinity  Bay: 

The'city  is  intensely  excited  over  your  succes?.    The  m^wi  ha^  reached  all 
parts  of  the  Union.    Messages  are  offering  for  Europe. 
Answer. ' 


iSliall  we  take  themi 
J.  Eddy. 


St.  Johns,  N.  B.,  August  fi,  1858. 
To  Ctros  W.  Field,  Trinity  Bay :    > 

Excitement  here  increasing.  Parties  in  every  moment  for  busipe&s.  What 
tariff  from  here?    .  D.  B.  Stevens. 

Boston,  August  6,  1858. 
To  Ctrcs  W.  FiEi.r>,  Trinity  Bay : 

Dear  Sik  :— The  city  authorities  of  Bostoh  to-dajr  ordered  the  firing  of 
100 mns  upon  the  Common,  and  the  ringing  of  bells  ior  one  hour  from  noon, 
in  Mpr  of  the  successful  laying  of  the  aible. 

■"^^  ,  Respectfully  yotirj, 


Ars.x.  H.  RicB. 


Toronto,  August  6,  1858. 
To  Cyaca  W.  Field,  Trinity  Bay : 

His  Excellency,  the  Governor  General,  desires  to  express  his' congratula- 
tions on  the  success  of  the  accomplishing  of  the  great  ujidertoking  of  laying 
the  Atlantic  telegraph  cable.  A.  J.  Pknkkfeathkb,  Governor's  Soc'y- 

Sent  to  the  Associated  Press  the  following  messages: 

Trinity  Bat,  N.  F.,  August  6,  1858. 
To  THS  Associated  Press,  Xcw  York : 

The  Atlantic  telegraph  cable  was  successfully  landed  hero  yesterday  morn- 
ing and  is  in  perfect  order.  The  Agamemnon  lias  landed  iier  end  of  the  cable, 
end  we  are  now  receiving  signals  from  the  Telegraph  Ho^  'e,  Valentia, 

The.  United  States  steam  frigate  Niagara  and  her  Majesty's  steamers  (.or- 
gon  and  Porcupine  leave  for  St.  Johns  to-morrow. 

Due  notice  will  be  given  when  the  Atlantic  telegraph  line  will  be  oix?n  for 
busies.  <^Y*»^s  W'^'-''- 

Trivitt  Bat,  N.  F.,  Friday  Evening,  August  6,  1858. 
To  THB  AsaooiATJD  PRESS,  New  York : 

Since  our  arrival  heft  yesterdawmoming,  I  have  been  constantly  receiving; 
telegraphic  messages  asking  for  full  particulars  in  regard  to  the  laying  of  the 
■  Atlantic  cable,  to  which  it  is  impossible  to  reply  as  every  moment  of  my  time 
will  be  fully  occupied  while  T  remain  here ;  and  I  have-handed  to  Mr.  McKay, 
superintendent  of  the  New  York,  Newfoundland,  and  Undon  Telegraph  Com- 
^ny's  line,  my  daily  journal,  and  given  him  full  permission  to  send  from  the 
same  any  extracts  that  he  might  thmk  of  interest  to  the  public,  and  especially 
those  portions  which  will  reply  to  the  communfcations  tJiat  I  have  received. 
*^  .  CvRUS  W.  Field. 

Mr.  McKay  sent  to  the  press  the  next  day  extracts  from  my  journal.  ,     , 

Saturday,  August  7.— Steamers  Niagara,  Gorgon,  and  Porcupine  sailed, 

and  returned  on  account  of  the  fog.    I  visited  lead  mines  to  enpge  men  to 

work  on  Telegraph  House,  cut  wood,  build  road,  Ac.   Electricians  busy  fitting 

«p inM.rumcnU.    The  foliowiBg^tekgrapMc  nag^^agg")  ^^'Ml"^"'?  ot^rgiJy^ro 


sent  and  received : 


J 


I 


4'     '  J" 


-,t, 


J«^ 


.V 


■i| 


o 


3f 


310 


THE  OOEAK  TELBORAPH. 


i  -A 


>J  t 


i         I 


|I  *■ 


IB    f   „     —  T«ti  NiTT  Bat,  AuBtist  T  185A 

To  h.  Exo^ffency  Jxv.s  BacH.«..,  P^eaident  of  the  United  Su^  ^V''.   "*• 

Bedford  Springs,  Penn. :  ,    '     "* 

hPr^^n  ?wi^'^"'  ""^  "■,"■  *«!«K™P^"<-  despatch  is  duly  received.    We  landed 

Cyrus  W.  Pieij). 
To  OTRr*  W.  Fjkd,  Trinity  Bay  ■'^*''  ^>*'  ^"8"**  ''  '858. 

'  ''  '    Pkter  Cooper. 

To  Mr.  McKat,  Trinitf  Bay  :  ^"^  ^°'"''  ^"S«»t  t,  1868. 

for  ™r„ni!jrr^''  ""^'""y  "^  ¥'•  ^'*"''1'«  '^*»'^  permission,  and  send  n., 
lor  morning  papers  from  oij?  to  two  thousand  words  from  bus  diary     Add  t , 

Thpri^if  ■„  I       ^'",«'»«!rf""y  P*y  the  operators  extri^or  their  services 
To  Tm  A..oci„.»  p.rte,  K,,.Y„i ,  ''"""'  ""■  ■'"B""  '.  l«=e. 

To  Ctrub  W.  Fiild.  St.  Johns :  ^'^  ^*'**'  -^"ens*  9.  1868. 

the.?  on  Thu!idaT^!l  tL^'?'''''^^',*"'^  ^•^"-  ^he  joyful  new,  arrived 
\.  w  M^*K  ^'  and  almost  overwhelmed  your  wife.  Father  rejoiced  like 
S  boy.    Mother  was  wild  with  delight.    Brx)tLr«,  sisters,  all  wrSojed 

The  yillaga  was  in  a  tami|lt  of  joy. 
l^bleaayoH. 


My  deu-  brother,  I  congmtulata  you. 


3f 


,  August  T,  185^. 
teg,      -       ■■' 

ived.  We  landed 
all  ready  and  per- 
You  ijhall  have 
8  perfected.  The 
ni\{,  and  the  first 
uly  your  setTant, 
ana  W.  PiEtn. 

August  1,  1858. 

5th  to  the  press, 
ith  the  enterprise 
mt  the  country, 
he  press  Asires 
«t8  of  inflipt  to 

ETBR    OOOPKR. 

August  1,  1858. 

rion,  and  send  us 
i  diary.  Add  to 
agara  arrived  at 
their  servioes. 
[iceive  of,  and  vre 
D.  H  Cbaio. 

Lugust  7,  1858. 

rumcnts  are  all 
stween  the  two 

,  but  it  may  be 
lessaRB  between 
;o  the  President 
VB  W.  Field. 

the  cable.  Ke- 
ith the  elcctri- 
not,  left  in  the 
it.  Johns.    Her 

At  6  p.  M.,  ar- 
g  of  the  cable, 

which  I  copy. 

igiist  9,  1868. 

news  arrived 
er  rejoiced  like 
'ere  overjoyed, 

"The  cable  is 

ig;-atulata  you. 


OFFICIAL  BEP0BT8. 


811 


"  T«niiTT  Bat,  August  9,  1868. 

To  Ctikis  W,  FiELtt,  St,  Johns :  , 

I  have  just  joined  up  key  and  large  coiU,  and  am  now  ^ndingto  Valentia, 
Shal  communicate  again  shortly.  Dr.  Sauty. 

Trwitt  Bat,  August  9,  1858. 
To  Ctru«  W.  Firld,  St.  Johns :  > 

It  i«  necesnary  to  pass  many  preparatory  signals  for  adjustment  of  our  in- 
Btrumentfl,  needing  some  slight  alterations.  ,  Do  not  expect  her  Majesty  s  mes- 
sage before  the  morning.    Still  exchanging  good  signals^  De  bAUXY, 

Trihitt  Bat,  August  9, 1858.*     . 

f  o  Othdb  W,  Fiild,  St.  Jobns :      . 

Receiving  good  recorded  currtats  from  Valontia, 
Perfectly  ^tis&ctory.  Dp.  Sautt. 

TRiNrrr  Bat,  August  9,  1868. 

To  Ctrcs  W.  FiKLD,  St.  Johns :  .      .        -rr  ,     i.  ■,  ^i.  i   

I  have  received  perfectly  a  communication  from  Valentia,  and  they  get  our 
signkls  there.    Please  send  early,  without  Cul,  the  fly-wbeel,       Dk  Sauty. 

New  Yom,  August  9,  1868. 

To  Ctrds  W.  Field,  St,  Johns ; 

Drar  SiK  :-The  Common  Council  of  New  York  have  resolved  on  a  gr«it 
celebration  of  the  laying  of  the  cable.  The  <^«n««'"^,  "^  ™'??'°^,^?: 
sire  to  know  the  day  on  which  tfie  first  message  wiU  be  sent,  m  orAjrto 
recommend  a  general  iUumination  in  the  eyemng.     Plette  send  reply  to- 

*^y*  ,  Dahbi.  P.  TnaiisK,  Mayor. 

St.  Johot,  Tuesday,  August  10,  1868. 
Wrote  to  Messrs,"  T.  H.  Brooking,  Sons  &  Co,,  in  regani  to  completing 
Telegraph  House  and  furnishing  M.  De  Sauty  with  supphes. 

St,  JoHiM,  Nkwfoundi,AJ«d,  August  10,  1868, 

M«tm,  Brookwo.  Sons  &  Co.,  St.  Johns :  .  ,    ,      , 

GBrrtRMKN  :-I  have  to  request  you  wiU,  "  qnwWy  as  possiblq,  br.ckway 

cell,  and  otherwise  finish  the  house  in  B^  «f  »"»:«/ T^vST^l^r^?  De 
Ailkntip  Teleirranh  Comnanv.  and  make  such  additions  thereto  as  M,  De 
sSfmay  S".  S?^e  furnish  M.  De  Sauty  with  any  supplies  that 
Ky  oL"L  account  o{  the  oompwiy.  I  remain,  genUemen,  very  truly 
yonr  friend, 

Ctbds  W.  FiKtn, 
General  Manager  Atlantic  Telegn4>h  Company. 

Received  an  addi«ss  from  the  Executive  CouncU  of  Newfoundland,  and  also 
oneS^e  Ch'sllToFcommerce  of  .St  Johns,  and  be  «w  y^  •'^^H    ^ 
of  the  same  and  my  replies,-[The8e  will  be  found  in  full  m  the  account  of 
the  reception  at  St,  Johns,— .iwtAor.]  .  .^™««.  m^a 

The  telegraph  line  to  the  United  States  was  f^P!^*«7"^'^frSf 
I  gave  the  oficeni  of  the,  steamers  the  privilege  of  sending  and  ttKeivmg  free, 

"  TKVo^^^htl'^iLjXner  party  at  seven,  where  I  met  many  of  my 
oldS^Smd  frieX  «id  laS^in  the  evenmg  there  was  a  grand  ball 

**X?|fria^°4ny  triy>ph  a.e^.g-.  of  whidx  tha  folk>wi.M,  «e  » 


V 


■/ 


i  !H 


812 


THE  OOKAK  TELEOKAPH. 


.Ki 


i  'W 


To  CTRC9  W.  F1KI.D,  St  Johns  •  r^"''  ^""'''  •*"«°**  "'  1868 

W.  G.  HtJNT. 

w,,.^    r^  «         ,,  ^-  "^'*'"''  N-  "'•>  Woduesday,  August  11.  p  m 

W1L8OM  G.  Hwrr,  Esq.,  New  York.  '  /,       e       i«,  >•; « 

unanimous  y  that  for  several  wpoks  afvJTr Vkl     .1  ^^'®Sr"P      >.;ipany  decided 

America,  .vhen  J  JZayTr:^^l'l^:^TJ:'^"''^'''''''' '"  ^""^^  ^"^ 

Ctktjs  W.  Field, 

To  TH.  AiwocuntD  P^ifss,  New  York  ^''^  '^''™'''  ^•=<^"««'»J''  ^ng-  H,  p.  m. 

sole  use  ofX  wSS  P,^r^„?TK  "^  *** ''"J'' '^^^ 

u»;  for  i,  l„  CO  JdJ37h«"A^L;l„S'b^Sl"£i^^^  "T 

t«ift  ;™.': ""  ■»  »"""  "■»»  «»  '"»  ""  "•  '^7  for  b„.mes.,  ^  n, 

%  CVBUS  W,  FlfcLD. 

Vir-T  A«  o      „  ^'  ''°^^'  ^-  *"•'  Wednesday,  August  11.  1858 

\  ICE  Admtral  Sm  HormoN  Stewabt,  K.  C.  B.,  &,.,  HaUfax,  N  s 

Cyrus  W.  Fuld. 
To  Craw  W.  FnttD,  St  John*.  Trinitt  Bat,  Angnrt  II,  1868. 

St  jSJT  *'"*"^  """  ^''*-    *  ^'^  "°*  t'^'^  y°«  -^^  -^^t  us  by  staying  at 
It  is  rulcaimed  India  rubber,  not  vulcanito  that  is  required. 

">  Dk  Savtt. 

To  Ctbds  W.  FnoD,  St.  Johns.  TRnimr  Bay,  August  11,  1858. 

Nothing  to  commumcate,    AU  progresaii^  eatisfactorily.  , 


'%4^i^^ 


Siut  1],  1868 

them,  and  have 
re  do?     Please 

1^.  Q.  HCNT. 

gust  n,  p.  M 

this  afternoon. 
..ipany  decided 
should  be  kept 
IS  to  try  their 
I  with  greatest 
in  Europe  and 

W.  Field, 

ng.  11,  p.  M. 

raph  Company 
en's  and  Pres- 
weeks  for  the 
electricians,  to 
ng,  so  that  thd 
hod  for  future 
rown  open  for 
purposes,  even 

iness,  and  the 

W.  FlfcLD. 

1 11,  1858. 

favor  if  you 
'Niagara,  Cap- 

rican  officers 
th  us  in  our 
imph. 
his  officers. 

i'".  FntLD. 
11, 1868. 

y  staying  at 

E  Sautt. 
11,  1858. 


OFF^OUI.  BEPOKTB. 


318 


# 


TRwrrT  B*r,  Angmt  11,  1868. 
To  Cntns  W.  Fiklp,  St  Johna. 

Thanks  for  your  kind  message.  All  well  and  desire  to  thank  you  for  your 
kindness  to  them.  Sixteen  yards  vulcanized  ruLher  cord,  quarter  of  an  inch 
diameter,  required:  ^        , 

Not  a  second  shall  be  lost  in  sendmg  Queen's  message.  ^ 

Wish  you  a  pleasant  voyage. 

'  Dk  Sautt. 

Left  St.  Johns,  in  United  States  steam  frigate  Niagara,  at  '4  30  p.  m.,  for 

New  York 

"     Her  Majesty's  steanler  Porcupine,  Capt.  Otter,  leaving  at  the  same  time 
for  Plymouth,  Englind.    Weather  pleasant ;  light  S.  W.  wind. 

Thubsdat,  August  12.— On  our  way  to  New  York.     Ihick  weather } 

smooth  sea ;  wind  S.  W.  .      '.      .   ^,  ,  ^  ■    i\.     ft„^ 

Fbidat.  Aug.  18.— Thick  weather  m  the  forepoon ;  pleasant  m  the  after- 
noon, with  very  light  8.  wind.  .         .,  ,  ,, 

Bat0E1)AY,  August  14.— Calm ;  beautiful  warm  weather. 

Sunday,  August  15.— Thick  and  rainy  in  the  morning ;  clear  at  noon 
with  lieht  S  W  wind.    Were  at  noon  much  surprised  to  heap-^hat  the  chief 
engineer  of  the  Niagara  had  just  informed  Captoin  Hudson  that  he  had  not 
ooal  enough  left  to  take  the  ship  to  New  York.  j    ,      ,        j       »:i 

Fires  were  allowed  to  gradually  go  down,  and  proceed  slowly  under  sail. 
The  coal  purehased  at  St.  Johns  turned  out  to  be  very  poor  for  st^m  pur-   _ 
poses,  and  has  burned  away  much  faster  than  ^»«  ^^I^.^^^" .  \*  ^//j' 
more  than  350  miles  from  New  York,  took  on  board  from  pdot  boat  No.  5,  a 

^^iN^AY'^August  16.-Light  bead  wind;  thick  weather;  sailing  very 
slowly,  not  more  than  two  knots  per  hour,  untU  4^  p  m..  when  fires  were 
liirhted  and  proceeded  under  easy  steam  towards  New  York. 

*^  Ss^AT.^August  17.-Light  west  wind  and  very  fo^y  m  the  mommg; 
clear  and  plcWant  in  the  afternoon,  with  wind  from  S.  W.  and  o-  ' 

WEDZDA-TAugust  IS.-PassU  Fire  Island  Light  at  2  a.  m^  made  Smdy 
Hook  light  at  4,  and  at  about  6  chartered  tugboat  Achilles  to  take  me  to  New 
York  where  I  arrived  a  little  before  9%  m.  . 

tL  Niagara  will  cross  the  bar  at  high  tide  this  aOernoon,  and  arrive  oppo-^ 
site  the  citTat  about  5  p.  m.    There  is  great  rejoicing  aU  over-  the  country  at 
th«,  aiirrpssfnl  lavinK  of  the  Atlantic  cable.  .  ,     t  •  i. 

*^^entof  the  Atlantic  cable  was  landed  from  the  ^iagara  on  the  I™h 
shore,  AuguSt  5,  1857,  and  the  othor  op  the  American  side,  August  5, 1858, 

^  The'l^rB^e  ««d  laid  l«5t  year  from  Valentia  still  remaips,  and  tje 
main  clbris^to  be  spUoed  on  to  it,  so  that  bgia  ends  have  been  lauded  from 

^'  ?hSie  now  laid  in  Trinity  Bay  is  the  same  as  was  8^nier|ed  last  yea^  " 
from  the  shore  end  of  the  Irish  coast,  and  since  recovered.  Ihe  telegraph 
Kwiled  from  Plymouth  on  the  experimentnl  trip  May  29  ;  the  cable  Broke 
aUhf^tern  of  theTgamemnon  on  tVe  29th  of  June,  and  the  laf  spl^J^  7« 
mad^  on  t^e  29th  of  fulv.  The  Atlantic  Telegraph  Company  failed  to  lay 
Sek  cable  in  August,  1857,  and  again  in  the  second  effort,  June,  1858,  but 

"""^i  irem  oSe'Sstoi^Suly  17,  and  would  undoubtedlv  have  arrived  at 
Nel^olk  ?^teX  ( iS-Bt  if),  provided  we  had  had  on  ^ard  a  supply  of 

^'Vill  you  pl-se  to  setld  me  by  mail  a  copy  of  the  log  of  tl>e  Agamemnra 
from  SeTmeTl^  splice  was  m^de  until  she  •^^J/JJ^SL^j^^'^tg; 
^OTginwra'  aadr  eteetrieiftM'  re^      .of  the  >ynj^  the^ble  f">m JM» 


■(ft 


ship?- 


'','«■ 


814 


tllB  OOBAH  TBUDOKAPH. 


It    : 


P»ny,  L  the  sole  w^^J  of  Si„?T?^'"  "^  *^'  ^*''""''  TeleKr.ph  ComI 

•coept  my  -^mpmlion     U  "liX.v5Tff„i  JT^  «tt«'n<4  yw^  will  pl««e 
my  power,  consistent  withmyduSmvl.^r/.T"''''  *1  ''"  ""^  *"»«  '" 


N«w  Tout  A»»  Uawforaoi^B  TmiwjmAra  Statiok. 


Heport  and  log  of  the  Snrjinecr,  Mr.  W.  E,  Evtrttt. 
T^ ^"™>  Statkb  SnuuixR  Niaoara,  .AoiRut  17  18^ 


^'l'«' 


vi- 


"♦«,!**■  I 


riflcetomygeli; 
eileKraph  Com- 
>u  to  make  the 
04  will  pleaw 
lo  any  thing  in 
private  aHaira, 

nd  maohineiy 

Msing  of  God, 
by  the  electric 


7,  M 


ineer's  Ib^, 
tbe  p«yin|^ 
ion  farther . 


\    . 


OVFIOIAL    SSPOBTS. 


815 


the  next  day  at  noon,  was  undoubtedly  cauaed,  to  an  extent,  by  the  ship  «ot 
runninir  directly  on  her  course,  a*  for  that  day  there  was  a  difference  o! 
sixteeiTand  a  third  miles  between  disUnce  run  by  obaervatmn  and  patent  log, 
whUe  for  the  remaining  part  of  the  voyage  they  nearly  coi«.de.l.  Also  J^t 
the  speed  of  the  ship  noted,  per  hour  must  not  be  cOnsidcrud  stncily  correct, 
as  It  18  ni.t  possiWe  to  log  accurately  by  the  ordinary  mcanH. 

Nearly  all  of  the  stores  were  landed  at  the  Telegraph  House,  Bay  of  BuUs 
Arm,  a«  they  would  be  of  much  more  nervice  to  the  company  there  than  any 
other  disposition  which  could  have  been  made  of  them.  ^„,^ 

ThenHs  now  remaining  on  board  about  sixty  miles  of  caLle^anufacturcd 
by  Glass,  Elliott  A  Co.  during  the  present  season,  and  about  t^^euty  miles 
or  the  cable  recovered  from  falentia  Bay,  most  of  which  is  not  suiUble  for 

'^The  cable,  machinery,  and  a  few  articles  now  on  board,  will  be  disposed 
of  by  the  direction  of  Mr.  Field.  .     , 

.  Il  is  almost  needless  for  me  to  state,  that  each  person  connected  with  the 
underUking  has  been  untiring  in  his  efforU  to  bring  about  so  pratifymg  a  re- 
sult «  the  successful  laying  down  of  the  Atlantic  Telegraph  Cable,  and  that 
Spt  Hadsonand  all  theoficors  have  made  any  ajid  every  B«^«fl'=.« '» '"rth^r 
The  great  work.  Accept  my  congratulations,  and  b«l«^«  P*^^*''(^'i;i?f  I*'" 
obedient  servant. 


Thursday,  July  29. 


Howt 

k.  M. 


10 

r.  K. 

3 

8 
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5 
6 
T 
8t 
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10 

19 


Dynjunometor 

gtniii. 


Bnka  BtnlB. 


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90S0 

soeo 
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SOfiO 
SOfiO 

wso 
soeo 

WM 


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IMO 
1M0 
1900 
I860 
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IMO 


—^ ^ 


Horiwaui. 


Vertical. 


by  RotonMWr. 


if4  »( alilp. 


IMO 
IMO 


10* 
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W 
10' 
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to- 

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800 
060 
818 
S41 
8M 
418 
888 
718 
690 


9 
9 

2 

4 

.4 

4 

4 
3 
8 

4 
4 


9 

e 
« 

e 

4 
4 


LOltad.  M  d«.  09  mU...  N. ;  longltod^  M  de,.  1  M.40  »  ^1- o»J^ 
D.pSrfwL^r;i.5«)athoma         (  U  IMO  80  mil- .ut.        ^     ^ 

Semarks. 

Tmr  29— From  8  to  meridian.— At  10  20,  stem  of  ship  being  secored 
by  £L!«>mmTced  vlen^i  .ou<,.«abIe  to  the  Agamemnon  to  make  spbce. 
At  10  30  veered  out  100  fathoms.  **  i  „«  hawser  was 


From4to6,Bnooth8««.    At  4  40,  30  miles  paid  out.        . ,  -  „  ^a  o^t 
F«m  6  to  8  sea  nnoath.    Light  bree«  on  port  beam.     At  «  ^J  P"*«« 
30  mnTof  cabie.    At  7  54  continuity  reported  to  have  ceased.    Ship  s  speed 

^^F^m  8  to  la-At  9  11  continuity  restored,    it  8  55,  40  ^«  .P^<™\ 
At  10^.  50  maes  paid  ont.    Distance  nin  fX  midnight,  by  patent  tog.  41 


16  raBoe  id 


i: 


'1.^::. 


iopi 


!>fc'^^»»TRet '•"'W^ 


lit-    >-^Il tifl tfi 


■^''^c^^V'f 


316 


THB  OOBAN  TBMOBAPH. 


___^Wd^j^/tt/y  80. 


•78  minute*. 

Depth  of  water,  from  1,H0 

I-Kltude,  51  deg.  BO  mlB.  • 

mln.  ' 


to  1  am  r.f »i«™.         I  5°"!*  "'  ""We  paid 

roartti,.«i&pe7?e» 

Htmarks. 


818 

8 

•MS 

8 

SS8 

S 

8«0 

6 

618 

6 

800 

6 

618 

6 

4 

0 
0 
4 
• 
2 
0 
8 
0 
4 
0 
S 


out,  m,MOfikthoiiu. 

89, 


patent  log.  '  "'*•     ■*'  °  *•  H.  bad  rnn  81^  miles  by 

at  lUs"  fsa  "'^1S^^t:t^dZ^'t'L'^''  %*'  •*  ^«  27,  120  miles, 
Light  w4d  aft.    Snm^  ZJ^      ^  *"  *^®  *"'  ^  »>»»"».  ^04.3  duIm.' 

4  0  J7^.  1^.  *°  '*-;r^^  ^  I*''  1^  nwlea  of  cabi*  out  •  at  2  ^Ift  i  -in     .. 

aea  aft.  '  ^"'  ^^*^  ""'^^^  "^  "'Wo  out   Strong  wind  and  moderate 

en^tf^o^^rVail^f '  '"^  -««->^  -bleout.    F„«h  bi^ze  and  mod- 

muS7Sfl?4,'"2tar\«,Hr^^^^  1008,200 

quarter  to  port  beam.    ^^crL'lt^^PX'^t^Ts '^Z^^ 


Saturday,  July  81. 


Ab(Io  of  R,f«, 


Too  dark  to 
outboard. 
W     8. 
0-     9. 


I     VtrtlMl. 

cable 


W 


■/  Rotoiutn. 


T 
« 


tee 

OTO 


T18 


O 


i^'  V'K 


\i 


'      BpMdofiUp. 

X.     r. 

4     a 

4       « 

4       8 

4       S 

4       « 

6     a 

6       4 

B       8 

B       0 

B     a 

t       0 

1       4 

B       4     ■ 

6       0 

6       0 

6       4 

6       • 

<       8 

«       0 

6       S 

B       0 

6       4 

«       0 

-       <       8 

o 


OFFIOIAi  EEPORTS. 


317 


Hour. 


0 

T 
8 
9 

W 
11 
18 

T.  U. 
1 
8 
S 

4 

'n 

8 
"    9 

10 
11 
13 


Dj-oaODOtDitcr 
gtrmiD. 


iOW) 
2000 

2060 

8060 

'8060 

1050 

2050 

a)oo 

205Q 
20J0 
2076 

8076 
2075 
2075 
2060 
200() 
21KI0 
2000 


Brake  StrkiD- 


1800 
1800 
1800 
1800 
ISOO 
1800 
1800 

1800 
17.W 
1800 
1300 
1800 
1800 
ISiK) 
IbOO 
IHW) 
1S'>0 
InOO 
1800 


Angla  of  Rope. 


0-       8. 
5"  •-    S. 


9" 
2° 
8" 
2° 
8" 


5' 
6' 


S. 

8. 
8. 
8. 
B. 

8. 
8. 
8. 


AmonDt  p«r  honr 
by  Rotomfter. 

K.        r. 


8"       8. 
10"       8. 


10- 
0' 
7" 

i- 


H. 
8. 
8. 
8. 


Straight 
6°  8. 
4-      8. 


li' 
'iV 
12' 
10° 
12' 
10' 
13' 

1!!'' 

181^ 

IS* 

18" 

lO" 

10- 

12° 

12' 

12' 

10" 

12' 

18' 


S 
6 
6 
6 
6 
T 

6 
T 
6 
T 
6 
S 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 


00<) 

mio 

«18 
660 
268 
tTO 
6S0 


200 
BOO 
618 
4S8 
903 
680 
648 
420 
628 
770 
628 


Speed  of  tltip. 

K.        T. 


6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
B 
6 

^ 

6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
0 
6 
« 
6 
6 


4 

6 
0 
1 
7 
7 
4 

4 
6 
0 
0 
7 
4 
C 
0 
6 
0 
7 
7 


Depth  of  wster,  1,657  to  2,250. 
LaUtade,  61  dea.  6  inln. 
Longitude,  88  dog.  23  nila. 


1  Knot*  of  c»blo  paid  out,  159  mllea,  843  fatUomii. 

Knots  run  by  snip,  187. 
I  Loss,  n  p«r  cent 


Remarks. 


At  1  10,  220  miles  of  cable  out;  at  2  35,  230  miles;  at  4  31,  240  miles. 

Fresh  breeze  and  moderate  sea  on  port  quarter.    Distance  run  by  patent  log 

since  meridian  Friday  to  4  p.  M.  Saturday,  90.4  miles. 

^rom  4  to  8.^At  5  34,  250  miles  of  cable  out;  at  7  11, 260  miles ;  at  8  11^ 

?    miles,  indicated  by  patent  log  since  yesterday  noon.    Light  breeze  ota 

^'V5om'8rrriZi*"-At-8  44,  270  milesof  cable  out;  atlO  30,280nWB5 
at  11  56,  290  miles.    Distance  run  by  patent  log  smce  Fnday  noon,  13ff  .5 

'""F;om  meridia>to  4  p  m  -At  1 14,  300  miles  of  cable  out ;  at  2  35,'310 
milesTTtTo2,  320  mn;fl     Light  hcid  breeze;  moderate  sea.    Rotometer 

^^^m  TtJf-Tt  5  36,  330  miles  of  cable  out;  commenced  orlop  deck« 
circle  at  5  40.    Very  light  breeze  on 'starboard  bow,  with  but  little  sea. 

Cm  6  to  8  -it  7  12,  340  niites  of  cable  out.    Light  head  wind,  with 
moderate  sea.    At  8,  44.3  miles  run  by  patent  log  sin^  meridian 

From  8  to  midnight.-At  8  45,  350  mUes  of  cabW  out;  at  10  16,  360 
miles ;  at  11  46,  377  miles. 

Sunday,  August  1. 


Hoar. 


1 

8 

8 

4 

6 

« 

7 

8 

9 
10 
U 

r.  M. 

1 


Dynunometer 
Btnia, 


8076 
8076 
8075 
9075 
8000 
8000 
8000 
8000 
8078 
8100 

noo 

am 


Brake  Stnin. 


1800 
1800 
1300 
1800 
1800 
1800 
1800 
1800 
1800 
1800 
1800 
1800 

■ia6o 


Annie  of  Rope. 


IloriaonUI. 


4' 

N. 

fl- 

N. 

»• 

8. 

10" 

N. 

10" 

N. 

ir 

N. 

10' 

N. 

19' 

N. 

10" 

N. 

10*     N. 


Vertical. 


18' 
10' 
10' 
10* 
12' 
18' 
18' 
19- 
11* 


Ajuouet  per  hour 
by  Rotomrter. 


Hpeed  at  lUp. 


18* 


7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
« 
6 

« 
7 
8 


86S 

800 
400 
318 
400 
110 
90S 
T28 
090 
400 
100 

eis 


too 


« 
• 

6 
B 
6 
« 

< 
6 

« 


fl 


i.  < 


.'\:.;  v?'.^*  i^-.-- 


[  ■  i ' 


^P'' 


N-l 


M^ 


f;;i 


:'!'■ 


.31 


THE  OCEAN  TELEOBAI'H.  ''  " 


latitude,  M  deir.  8i  min. 
,  iongltmlp,  41  ihit.  66  mIn. 
KuoU  cable  paid  out,  164,  tSa. 


Amount  per  boor 

8i>..di)ftUp. 

by  Bolomctflr. 

K. 

r. 

«         F. 

6 

908 

A       4 

6 

T28 

6 

010 

6 

490 

818 

9S8 

485 

T08 

300 

300 

818 

6 

Bemarks 


Knots  run  by  8yp;l45. 

i*>s«.  14  ii«r  nent 

I>«pth  ofwatur,  from  1,950  to  9,4!H  fethoma. 


-  f  ^u7™  ™'^"'gllt  t«  •*.— At  1  15,  3.^0  miles  of  cable  o,.t  •  at  ^  .>^  oq„     ., 
of  cable  out;  at  3  59  400      Frrsh  }>r,.oJl  ^      *  caoie  out;  at  ^  J6,  390  oiiles 

From  4  to  8  -At  5  2o'  4K1  a    p     k?  '*«:^"'"-<^  bow;  moderate  sea. 
out;  at  5  A  M  ,"90  miL  run  L  f£  Z*^^'"  "«*:  "'^.'^  *^'  ^^0  miles  of  cable 
and'breeze  for^^ard  of  sUrboaJj  S^m  ^  ''"'^  ^'"*"'^*^  °'^''-    ^oden^te  sea 

of^^^ll^Z'nt7d\2l':i'l^^^^^  '^'  9H440mi.es 

from  meridian  to  meridian   141  2  mHes      Qhin  ^«t'»"''°  run  by  patent  log, 
breeze  and  moderate  sea  on  star^.  ^  tam     '^  "^"^^  con^derably  j  strong 

hea^Tatn^t^rrol^t^ifl^  -'    «-"^  ^'^d  a^ 

out^Z^rrTn^^cf Ao^  b^Xtl  "[  ^^'  T  "f^  ^'^^^^ 
moderate  sea  forward  of  sSkJIw.        ^'      *  ""''''•     ^'"^''^  '"^^^  *"<! 

cablIZ;V  n1?'|£-~it  Sf'lf ''f^T^'^  ""*'  10  10,  530  miles  of 
ship  rolling  badly   '  "**•'"  ''"*•    ^'"<1  moderating;  heavy  sea; 

Monday,  August  2. 


A.  M. 


1 
3 
8 

4 

e 

6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
18 
r.  v 
1 
8 
8 
4 
0 
« 
T 
8 
» 
10 
11 
» 


DyiiAmotiMtor 
StnlD. 


20B0 

2080 
2080 
•2(KI0 
2076 
iilAO 
8190 
8260 
88JSO 
8890 
21A0 

8000 
1900 
1HA0 
1890 
1900 
1879 
1875 

1870 

1875 

1875 

1B94 

18TO 


Bnkt  StniB. 


An(lt  or  Kopi. 


HoriuMtal, 


1300 
1800 
1800 
1800 
ISOO 

2100 

9100 
8I0O 
8200 
»800 
8200 
8100 

,1900 
1900 
1800 
1800 
ISOO 
1800 
1800 
1800 
1800 
1800 
1800 

^JQ. — 


N. 


IP 

lo- 
ll* 
11' 

19" 
14- 
12- 
12' 
10' 

8* 
10' 

8* 


»• 
0- 

0' 
9' 
BtnlKht 
»•  N. 


Vi-rliciiJ. 

18- 
14' 
13' 
IS- 
IS" 
IS- 
IS* 
18* 
IS- 
IS- 
12- 
19- 


Amoiiiil  p«r  hoiii  I    «pt«<l  of  ihlp. 
by  Rotoautcr. 

».       r. 


r. 


Ooold  DO*  iM  th*  Mble 
over  tho  tttra. 


7 
7 
7 
T 
7 
7 
« 
7 
T 
7 
8 
9 

7 
8 
6 
7 
S 
« 
7 
< 
0 
6 


820 

840 

444 

840 

887 

000 

813 

100 

180 

000 

070 

618 

8<S 
840 
880 
818 
790 
M8 
078 
•IS 
741 

im 


«= 


,.. 


6 

8 

6 
A 
5 
4 
4 
9 
6 
6 
6 

« 
7 
7 
8 
« 
0 
« 
S 
« 
< 


■'OK-.!  •**'»-'M 


Uii^fi^m>^if^~.k-9m-* 


I'hf^'iy.^ri 


'•W* 


Spaiil  H  lUp, 
«         F. 


A 
6 
6 
< 
ft 
6 
« 
6 
8 
S 
6 


:!M  bthnnu. 


6,  390  miles 
!eratc  sea. 
liles  of  cable 
loderate  sea 

4,  440  miles 
patent  log, 
blyj  strong 

;  wind  and 

ilea  of  cable 
breeze  and 

>0  miles  of 
heavy  sea; 


Sptwl  of  ihlii. 

K.      r. 
«        4 


A 
5 
4 
4 
6 
6 
6 
6 

« 
T 
7 
S 
« 
S 
« 

s 
« 
< 


t 


OFFIOIAJL  EEPOKT9. 


319- 


Depth  of  water,  from  1,800  to  8,886. 
Lutitude,  49  (ieg.  M  niln.,  N. 
Longitude,  46  deg.  87  tnln.  W. 


I  Knots  of  cable  paSd  out,  17T,  160.^ 

KnoUi  run  by  snip,  151. 
I  Loss,  IS  per  cent. 


Remarks. 


From  midnieht  to  4.— At  12  58,  550  miles  of  cable  out ;  at  2  18,  560 
mites  of  cable  out ;  at  3  38,  570  miles  of  cable  out.  Wind  and  .sea  moderate. 
Distance  by  patent  log,  from  noon  Snnday  to  4  p.  m.  Monday  106 J  miles. 

From  4  to  &-At  4  53,  580  miles  of  cable  out;  at  (5  20,  590  miles  of  cable 
out  •  at  7  45  600  miles  of  cable  out.  Light  breeze  on  starboard  beam. 
Moderate  sea.  Ship  rolling.  At  5  20  commenced  in  new.cabl.,  which  is 
verv  dry,  leaving  the  circles,  and  four  m  number.  ,^„,   ^„f,'      , 

ffi  8  to  meridian.-At  9  11,  GIO  miles  of  cable  out;  at  10  25,  620  miles 
of  cable  out ;  at  11  47,  630  miles  of  cable  out.  Light  wind  and  moderate  sea 
forward  of  starboard  beam.    Patent  log  at  noon,  141.3  «niles.  • 

From  meridian  to  4.- At  12  50,  040  m.les  of  cable  out;  at  2  03  650  m  les 
of  cable  out ;  at  3  16,  660.     Light  breeze  on  starboard  beam.    Ship  rolling 

"^"Frora  4^0  6.-At  4  42,  070  miles  of  cable  out ;  at  6  09,  680  miles  of  cable 
out     Liirht  breeze  and  moderate  sea  forward  of  8tarlM)ard  beam. 

•From  6  to  8.— At  7  40,  090  miles  of  cable  out.     Wind  and  sea  same  as 
nrevious  watch.     Distance  since  noon  by  patent  log,  4/. 7  miles. 
•^    From  8  to  midnight.-At  9  09,  700  miles  of  c*ble  out;  at  10  46, 710  mdes 
of  cable  out.     Light  wind  and  gently  rolling  sea,  forward  of  starboard  beam. 

Tuesday,  August  3. ^__ 


Hoot. 


1 

2 

8 

4 

B 

6 

1 

8 

9 

10 

11 

W 

P.  n 

I 

2 

8 

4 

& 


8 
9 
10 
11 
12 


I)yii«moiMl«r     j^^,  gitwa. 


1975 
1850 
1»«00 
1»0() 
1778 
1600 
1650 
1600 
1450 
1450 
1»M) 
1900 

1200 
1200 
1300 
1200 
l'2rt0 

below 
1200 

tclow 
12(K) 

below 
1100 
lOOO 
900 
1000 
1000 


ISOO 
1700 
170O 
1700 
1700 
IflOO 
1600 
1600 
1400 
1500 
1200 
1200 

1200 
1200 
1200 
1900 
1200 

1200 

1200 

1200 

1000 
1000 
1000 
1000 


Angi*  b(  Rope 


Ainonnt  per  bou' 
by  RolODHl«t. 
VerUo.l,  Tk. 


10- 

8- 
8° 
8- 
0" 
6* 


8" 
8- 
4" 
4- 


10" 
4- 


N. 


B. 
S. 


13* 
12- 

12- 

Il- 
ia- 

15- 
11- 
11' 

12 
12- 

la- 
ta* 
u- 

ij. 

12- 
18- 


96;i 

818 
500 
WW 
593 
260 
903 
6<)» 
709 

2(m 
.siu 
aiK) 

,^^o 

50.S 

8.'K) 
803 


Speid  of  ibip. 


6        fiW 
6        593 


6 

641 

7 

400 

« 

l«(i 

S 

31-0 

5 

813 

6 
6 
6 
5 
6 
C 
5 
6 
8 
4 


0 
0 
0 
4 
« 
0 
4 

0 
0 
4 
0 
0 

4 

0 
4 
0 
4 


I  Kniit«  run  by  ablp,  147. 
I  Loa*,  W  p«r  <     ' 


Utlturt*,  49  deg.  IT  mm.,  loniU  ifle,  49  28. 
Knoto  of  cable  paid  out,.Ul,  TIB. 

Remarks. 
From  midniKht  to  4  a  M.-At  12  28  x.  m   720  miles  ^l^^^Vf^  ^^^^ 
atl57A.M..730n»aeaof_cablopa.d  c^  ^'J^^^ZrXz  ?^- 
V£^^    DUtW^tent  log,  from  8  p.  m.  to  4  p.  m.,  43.1  miles. 


;^f'; 


/,■-<. 


w 


*'• 


yf 


:r\ 


820 


THE,  OCEAN  TELEGRAPH. 


]feiA>i 


750^raTstfcabi:igV^S%S^^  At  6  15, 

cablo  out.  '         ^  '^"  "'''-«  °^  <'*^'e  out;  at  7-66;  770  milea  of' 

700  fathoms.    At  9  61' p  m    TSOnfiSnf  Zk       T"""*  P^"!  «"t  772  miles 

of  cable  out.    Set  clock  A  13  :^u  te^'    otTJr''  ^}  ^^  ""  ""•'  ^''^  ">■■'«« 
miles-  wmutes.    distance  run  by  pat«nt  log,  I34.5 

cable  out.  '  "*  ^  ^^'  *^^°  ""^'^s  of  ^^'^ble  out ;  "at  3  47,  820  miksTf' 

^30  mrsl/^atlT^ur'^  "'^"'  ^'*^  ^"''^^^  ^^^  'J-ng  the  watch. 
miJnfr/^7f8To^Sre"'^fSle'4^^^^^^  ^0  « 


At  5  10^ 

p.  M.,  50.3 

At  8  15, 


Wednesday/,  August  4. 


Sfw^O  or  Sblf, 


1 

2 

s 

4 

s 
e 

T 
8 
» 
10 
11 
13 
P.  u. 
1 
2 
3 
4 
6 
6 
T 
8 
9 
10 
■11 
13 


IKW) 
1100 

noo 

105(1 

ftort 

900 
•800 
»0U 
8,50 
8(H) 
8(10 
800 

sno 

800 
1000 
■600 
800 
SiK) 
600 
COO 
400 
400 
400 
40O 


MOO 
1000 
1000 
1000 
900 
9iK) 
9m 
BOO 
800 
800 
SOO 
800 

800 

SOO 

1900 

m) 

800 
SOO 
8(K) 
800 
400 
400 
400 
400 



f<-        8. 

1        IS* 

4' 
4- 

IB- 
U' 

— 

11" 

— 

10' 

fetraiffhf. 

IB- 

S"       ^■ 

IS'" 

6" 

12" 

4" 

Il- 

4-       8. 

ia- 

— 

15- 

— 

»0" 

~- 

IT 

i' 

11' 

Straight 

11" 

« 

B 
6 
B 
fi 
6 
6 
7 
T 
8 

r 

7 . 
4 

8 
fi 
6 
C 
8 
4 
2 
4 
1 


410 

623 

120 

170 

7H8 

800 

718 

&18 

6,<)0 

270 

118 

660 

353 

660 

ftM 

818 

820 
2!>8 
140 
600 
(HH 
73g 
820 
190 


6 
6 
6 
6 
6 

6 
0 

a 

6 

7 

s 


2 
i 
0 
0 

a 

6 

2 

2 

4. 
6 
0 
0 


7 

fl 

7 

0 

4 

0 

H 

0 

I 

6 

(i 

2 

B 

1 

-« 

2 

6 

U 

0 

» 

0 

LoB"  «  per  ont. 

Dvpth  of  walcr  from  742  to  200  fcthoms. 


vw 


Remarks.  ■      ''x-- 

p.  M  on  We/ne«l5,rdicatoToU^Ue8         *  '"*'  ^"^  "*"»  Tuesday' to  4 


miles.    Sot  the  clock  back  ten  minutes. 


0,84a^ 


# 


,ts- 


1««^ 


r\ 


!• 


•     OFFiaAL  BEP0BT8. 


321- 


am;  At  6  15, 
5;  770  milea  of 

3  forward  cir* 
out  772  miles 
•  M.,  790  miles 
«nt  log,  134.5 

(8.     A-t  12  44 

,  820  miles  of 

ch.    At  5  10^ 

8  p.  M.,  50.3 

;s.  At  8  15, 
870  miles  of 
in' soundings.  ,' 


Speid  of  Sblf, 

K. 

r. 

6 

2 

6 

t 

6 

0 

0 

0 

6 

s 

6 

6 

6 

2 

0 

2 

a 

i 

6 

6 

7 

0 

8 

0 

7 

0 

7 

0 

4 

0 

;■! 

0 

6 

8 

.5 

ft 

6 

0 

2 

B 

1 

«« 

2 

« 

8 

0 

8 

0 

lO  ftlboms. 


3  08,  890 
Qsday  to  4 

ilos ;  at  8, 
6d«y,  8  A. 


iO  50,  W- 
lours,  14C 


Prom  meridian  to  4.— At  1  28,  960  miles  of  cable  out ;  at  3  10,  970  mUes. 

From  4  to  6. — At  5  10,  980  miles  of  cable  out.  Changed  from  wardvoom 
to  quarter  deck  coil  at  4  50  p;  m.,  in  order  to  cut  out  a  fault  which  had  been 
developed  yesterday,  when  rotometer  indicated  978  miles  406  fathoms  paid 
out'   From  noon  to  4  p.  m.,  by  patent  log,  21.G  jniles. 

From  C  to  8. — At  6  41,  990  miles  of  cable  out.  Distance  run,  by  patent 
log,  since  noon,  41.1  miles.  ^  •  , '; 

From  8  to  midnight.— At  9  38, 1,000  miles  of  cable,  out ;  at  12  00, 1,010 
miles.    At  midnight  the  patent  log  indicated  58  miles  run  since  nootii.      .     ^> 


- 

Thursday,  August  5. 

■  A 

Hsir. 
A.]i. 

DjnUMimUl 
Sltailk 

Brak*  Stnin. 

Rotouelflr. 
K.             F. 

Amounk-p«r  hour  by 
RotcmeUr. 
K.          F. 

8p««d  of,«Up. 

K.      r. 

1 
2 

400 

400 

1.018     '600 
1,01«-     600 

4        00 
8        00 

2        fi 
2       0      ■ 

"   k^        t 


'        '  Bemarks.       *.  .._ 

From  midnight  to,  4  a.  m. — At  1  45  ship  came  to  anchor  off  telegraph 
house,  Bay  of  Bulls'  Arm.  At  1  a.  m.— Distance  rufi,  by  patent  log,  since 
noon  of  previous  day,  ,62.6  milte.s.  At  3  30,  coiled  IJ  nuleS  of  cable  aft,  pre- 
paratory to  the.,  end  being  tfken  ashore  in  ships' Ipats.  ,End  oC cable  wa.s- 
landed  ashore  at  5.15  a.  m.       '  k        f . 

Total  amojint  of  cable  p»id*dut  since  making  splice' in  mid-ocean,  1,016 
miles  600  fathoms.  Total  amount  as  per  signal,  per  distance  by  the  Agamem- 
non, 1,010. 

Total  distance  tun  since  making  splice,  882  miles.  "        ,' 

Total  percentage  of  cable  paid  out  over  distance  run,  15, 
During  the  day  3  miles  of  cable  was  .senj  ashore,  at  the  request  of  Mr. 
De  Sau.ty,  for  future  usp.  *       k'       ' 

THE  LAYroa  AND  LANDINO  "lOF  THE  CABLE  GST  THE  EtmOPfiAN  SIDE. 

As  the  history  of  the  final  expedition  would  necessarily  be  incomplete 

without  the  narrative  of  the  laying  and  landing  of  the  cable  on  the  European 

side,  we  feel  gratified  in  being  able  to  lay  before  our  readers  the  following  ac-. 

count,  which  was  written  by  the  reporter  of  ihe'Loruiim  Times,  and  which  we 

*copv  from  that  papcf:  • 

In  tjie  face  of  difficulties  and  dangeo),  the  magnitude  of  which  cannot  be 
properly  appreciated  by  those  not  engaged  in  the  work,  the  engineers  engaged 
in  this  undertaking  hatei^th  almost  untiring  energy,  adhered  to  their  all  but 
hopeless  ta«k  with  that  perseverance  which  is  sure,  sooner  or  later,  to  lead  to 
success.  There  were  but  few  some  twenty  days  ago  who,  after  the  unsuccess- 
ful return  crfthe  li^uadroato  Queenstown,  would  have  dared  to  predict  such  a 
speedy  and  glorious  termination  to  all  the  trials  and  difficulties  that  the  pro- 
moters of  this  undertaking  have  undergone.  The  final  accomplis^ent  of  the 
scheme  seemed  indeed,  up  to  the  last  moment,  to  hang  upon  afllir.  Many 
serious  difBcslties  had  to  be  encountered  during  the  six  days  and  a  half  that 
the  operations  lasted,  any  one  of  whk-h.  had  not  chance  favored  us,  roigkt 
have  ruined  the  ex]pedition,  and  delayed  tne  advance  of  ocean  telegraph*  jjeK ' 
haps  more  than  half  a  century.  But  the  difficult  task  has  now  been  accom-. 
plished,  and  it  only  remains  for  us  to  accept  the  benefits  which  it  wilt  an- 
doubtedly  confer  upon  the  community.     Wonderfiil  as  the  wccptioa  of 


it!ii£ttTl6lS0Bt&i«itrim>KrttaB  idniB«t  TmioR^^ 

^        now,  jf«t  'A  a  very  little  thnfe  Mople  will 

the  fiwt ;  uid  .without  remembenng  tho 


depths  oftiie  ocetti,  may 
foTgtttbe  marrel  while  profli 
81 


rebitfliettTI 
)roflfflg  by 


'*■* 


"-,««!■ 


•:f=ft'•^.'- 


•4,.*, 


S«Rf»!»"W*TmT'- 


4e#^ 


a.         I   <«  «r 


322 


THK  OOKAjr  TELEGEAPH. 


,y 


I 


! 
1 


'     ! 


veara  of  anxious  toil  and  discouragement  which  those  who  have  geciired  this 
nTt w^^lf  ""Tri*?^  M.^«  und^-gone  to  secure  success,  the  wond^^Sl  ^ 
not  that  the  undertaking  has  been  carried  out  at  aU,  but  that  it  had  not  W, 
accomplished  lofig  before.     It  has  sbeen  the  custom  of  mankind  to  honor  the 

'  ient  2ln^'''?n'^ii''f'^'  of  great  statesmen,  successful  warriors,  anTeS 
nept  divines.  Indeed,  of  such  materials  are  the  links  in  the  chain  of  historv 
ch  efly  com^psed.  But  those  men  who,  by  patient  thought  and  p^rseveS 
action,  have  achieved  victories  over  matter  which  secure  to  the  ^mmS 
rcrli'^KT^''  "^^  °'"*«°  ^''^^  ^^^^  t™»We  fqr  their  r^rf  It  i^ 
rnsJ:^^.m'£l^V^"-'°*yj?*'*''"  the  case  with  those  who  havXn  main  y 
•  instrumental  in  bringing  this  great  scheme  to  a  successful  termination.  ^ 
♦1,0  "i  be  confessed  that  the  prospects  of  success  were  very  remote  when 
the  squadron  left  Queenstown  on  ,the  17th  of  last  month.    ThTamount  ?!, 

recollection  of  three  separate  and  most  unaccountable  breakages  was  still  fresh 

m  the  minds  of  WI  who  had  accompanied  the  first  e:ipeditbn,  and  Sere  wa^ 

'  ^afr  T  J^*w^''  for  supposing  that  the  very  same  thing  might  not  ^c^ 

S™!4  fulfil  al't;;!!^^'"^''!'^'""^-**''^''^  ^'"'  "•'.''»«  <^nt.^rs.rec^n- 
whMrJ?       ,  ■  *o  guaranteed  reguirements ;  and"  the  numerous  accidents 
whK^h  occurred  might  be  due  to  the  cable  having  become  injured  dS  the 
^le.    This  supposition,  though  it  IBay  be  gratifying  to  Messrs.  GlasTA  Co 
was  no  consolation  to  either  the  engineers  or  the  slSireholdoT^  Sr  the^ 

XmT^:  wilStS  T.^'^t^'l^'h  '"""y  ''^^''^  the  p^secuUon  oft 
scneme  as  a  waste  of  the  shareholders'  money.    However  in  snite  of  the  most 

"SSn?i^t^°h'*';  r-*""*^  ^'^'  *'^*«"  determlnedt  dCt^hX 

■  Gortr'?«!l^&**"  ^^l  ™?™'°^  of  Satuixlay,  the  17th  of  July,  the  Valorous, 
S  f^  1  Niagara,  havmg  completed  coaluig,  steamed  away  from  Oueens 
?h^mS'„  n'  '•^"tr",'?'-  '^^^  Agamemnon,  l^;ing  to  wait  fo^  PrSeSrw. 
on  Wd'dT/f/''''  ^T^"""^  "^^"^  ^r"^  ''•"^  "'■  *»»°  ^'eot""'!  depart^* 
As  theshit  l^ft^ri^'',!!'*^'!?'""*"  two  o'clock  on  the  foUowing  morning 
AS  the  ships  left  the  harbor,  there  was  apparently  no  notice  taken  of  their  df- 
^^^"^  ^^  those  onshore  or  in  iU  vesseTll^chored  arouTdS:  eS  one 
seemed  impressed  with  the  conviction  that  we  were  engaged  in  ahoS  en 
.^f/t'/'"^*^^  ''l"u'"*™'^  '^'^^  ™ther  to  have  slunfaway  on  som^d'a- 
^ttStl?"''"'^.*'"^•*^  ^''^  «""«'*'■«•*  t'^*'  accomplishment  of  a  giid 
wn  hi^T-.  "was  just  dawn  when  the  Agamemnon  got  clear  of  Que^- 
town  harhjjr,  but  as  the  wind  blew  stiffly  from  th6  south-west  it  was  neX 
f^ri's^he  wo'tr""'*^'  the  Old/Head  of  Kinsaie,  a  SancTof  o^'l 
sKd  aion^  fir^w  '  ""T""!^  "1!'  "^"""S  ^^'^  ^h  ""^  «  the  Agamemnon 
tKn  wfdt^i  and  rocky  shore  of  the  soutUest  coast  of  Ireland, 
those  on  board  had  an  excellent  opportunity  of  seeing  the  stupendous  Tocks 
Ave  o'ci^kT  It  T' '"  '^^  ""oot  grot^que  and  Ltastic  s^^Tlhrnt 

the„^S1n?Jf^™•"^'i^^,  ^^^^  ^  ^^  '«'*  *h«  •*»<*  far  b«Wnd  us,  and 
L  I?m„    i^  the  usual  dull  monotony  of  sea  life.    Of  the  voyage  out  there 

Lrmi  „i  f h^f^-"^-  'f  ^  ""*,  checkered  by  the  excitementTf  continual 
Wh  to  r^n^nr^'""  of  perpetual  calms,  but  wo  had  a  suflBcient  «imixture  of 
both  to  render  our  passage  to  the  rendezvous  a  very  ordinary  and  uninterest- 

^^kfo^rW^  of  those  fiatunl_  b««ot«r.,  Mother  €i«y'a  chtctenriHf— 
IreUhZh^tlf^^A'l'^''^'^  expectation  of  heavy  weather.  Vith 
every  bttlo  breeze  of  wind  the  screw  wm  got  up  and  sail  liade,  so  as  to  hus- 


^fe^s^ijswsir^^ 


v.. 


OFFICIAL   KEPOETB. 


328* 


>  Beciired  this 
onder  will  be 
;  had  not  been 
I  to  honor  the 
iors,  and  emi- 
ain  of  history 
d  persevering 
le  community 
■eward.  It  is 
J  been  mainly 
lation. 

remote  when 
tmount  of  ca- 
niles,  and  the 
ras  still  fresh 
nd  there  was 
ht  not  occur 
itors  are  con- 
>U8  accidents 
sd  durihg  the 
Glass  &  Co., 
Under  these 
cution  of  the 
e  of  the  most 
despatch  the 
landoned  the 

he  Valorous, 
rom  Queene- 
Prpfessor  W. 

department 
ag  morning. 
I  of  their  do- 
1 ;  every  one 
hopeless  en- 
>n  some  dia- 

of  a  grand 
r  of  Queens- 
was  nearly 
ce  of  only  a 
Agamemnon 

of  Ireland, 
idous  Tocks 
1)68.  About 
;h  the  coast 
nearly  dark 
ry  Bay  and 

ind  us,  and 
9  out  there 
>f  continual 
Imixture  of 
uninterest- 
laually  low, 


rc^eniLfhst 
lier.  With 
tu  to  hUB- 


baM  our  coal  as  much  as  possiWe,  but  it  generally  soon  fell  calm,  and  obliged 
Captain  Preedy  reluctantly  to  get  up  steam  agam.  In  consequence  of  these 
continued  delays  and  changes  fitjm  steam  to  sail,  and  froin  sad  to  steam  again, 
much  fuel  was  expended,  find  not  more  tlian  eighty  miles  of  disUnce  made 

^°**0^undS,  the  25th,  however,  the  weather  changed,  and  for  several  davs 
in  succession  there  was  an  uninterrupted  calm     The  moon  was  just  at  the 
fall,  and  for  several  nights  it  shone  with  a  brilhancy  which  turned  the  smooth  .. 
s^a  into  one  silvery  shSet,  which  brought  out  the  dark  hull  and  white  sails  of 
the  ship  in  stroni  conti^st  to  the  sea  and  sky,  as  the  vessel  lay  all  but  mo- 
tionlcs,  on  the  -ster,  the  very  impersonation  of  solitude  and  repose.    Indeed, 
until  the  rendezvous  was  gained,  we  had  such  a  succession  pf  beautiful  sun- 
Ss  gorgcouk  sunsets,  aM  tranquil  moonlight  nighte,  as  7";ld»iave  excited 
the  iost  enthusia^Mc  admiration  of  any  one1>ut  persons  situated  a«J^ejere. 
But  V  us  s^oh  scenes'  were  regarded  only  as  the  annoying  i°d)<»t>"n?;5  ^he 
^m  which  delayed  our  progress  and  WMted  our  coal.    In  spi^  oj  the  u^u- 
•^al  calmness  of  the  weather  in  general,  there  were  days  on  which  our  for- 
mer unpleasant  experiences  of  the  Atlantic  were  brought    forcibly  to  our. 
^llec&on-when  it  blew  hard,  and  the  sea  ran  suiSc  ently  high  to  reproduce 
^a  minor  5c^e  some  of  the  discomforls  of  which  the  previous  cruue  had 
^enTo  fruilfol.    These  days.  hWer,  were  the  exception,  and  not  the  rule, 
See^^to  show  how  mucii  more  pleasant  was  the  inconvenient  calm  than 
the  weXr  which  had  previously  prevailed.    By  dint,  however,  of  a  judicious 
^peTd  !u^e  of  fuel,  and'a  liberalL\of  the  cheaper  mot  ve  ^wer  of  sail  «,e 
rendezvous  was  reached  on  the  evenmg  of  Wednesday,  the  28^h  of  July,  just 

eleven  days  after  our  departure  from  Queenstown.  . , 

The  rest  of  the  squadron  were  in  sight  at  nightfall,  but  at  such  a  wnsider^ 
able  distance  that  it  was  past 'ten  o'clock  on  the  mormng  of  Thursdav,  the 
Sth.^fo^  the  AgamemWi  joined  them.  Wo  were  as  usual  greeted  by  a 
SrfecUto^  of  qu^tions  as  to  what  kept  us  so  much  behind  our  t.me.^and 
Ced  thaVaU  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  ship  must  have  got  on 
shJ™  on  leaving  Queenstown  harbor.  The  Niagara,  ,t  appeared  bad  arrived 
at  the  rendezvous  on  Friday  night  the  23d,  the  Valorous  on  Sunday  the  25th, 
and  the  Gonron  on  the  afternoon  of  Tuesday  the  Zltb.  , .  ^  .. 

'The  day  w^  beautifully  calm,'80  ito  titae  was  to  be  lost  befor«  making^the 
spliiTboYts  were  soon  lowered  fW  the  attendant  ships,  the  two  ve^ls  made 
Suv  a  hawser,  amf  the  Niagara's  end  of  the  cable  conveyed  on  board  the 
ASmemnon  About  half-pa^  twelve  o'clock  the  splice  was  effectually  m«ie, 
buT^Uh  materials  very  di&rent  from  carefully-rounded  sertucircular  boards 
'  whi.*  had  been  used  tb  inclose  the  junctions  on  previous  occasions.  It  con- 
listed  merely  of  two  straight  boards  hauled  over  the  joinmg,  jritb  the  iron 
rSVnd3eVplummet,atUedto  the  centre.  In  hoisting  it  out  from  the  side 
Ke  shSbowever,  the  leaden  sinker  broke  short  off  and  fell  over^ard  and 
?liereSn^  more' convenient  weight  at  hand,  a  thirty-two  pound  shot  was 
foLtenS  to  Sie  splice  instead,  and  the  whole  apparatus  was  quickly  dropped 
Ste  the  sea,  without  any  foraiality,  and,  indeed,  almost  without  a  spectator 
for  tb^  ^n  board  the  ship  had  witnessed  so  many  beginnings  to^the  teW 
eraphteUne  that  it  was  evident  they  despaired  of  there  ever  being  an  end  to  it 
^hfstipSated  210  fathoms  of  cable  having  been  paid  out  to  "Uow  the  spho., 
to  Lk  well  below  the  surface,  the  signal  to  sfaui;  was  hoisted,  tbo  hawser  o^ 
loo^  and  the  Niagara  and  Agamemnon  started  for  the  last  time  for  their  op- 

^L'l^fituhre.  hours  tho  ships  proceeded  veryslowly,  P»^  o«t* 
g«at  quantity  of  slack,  but  after  the  expiraUon  of  thw  time^heBDecd  of  the 
====^^MeSnOT  was  uicreSsecHo  abon^^fiva  tost*  p^  smv^  "S^Tlfii-r:^  ,7SS 
ffit  six  without  indicating  more  than  a  few  hundred  pounds  of  stram  u^ 
£  (^.l^mometer     Stlf  after  stx  o'clock  a  very  large  whale  was,  se«i  ap. 


1 

I 

r 

,i 

•'i 


.m 


m*y^i 


'.^^^  ej^V 


"iWni'  jwiw><- 


S34 


THE  OCBAN  TEUCOBAFH. 


11     •  •  I 

J  Mr 


/  / 


\  In:! 

I"; 


tion  that  our  sSond  Ssterio^brXTfnf  It  *'«'.l»«»>"'ty  of  the  BuppoBi- 

rfit  w^  making  din«t  for  th?ffiTLd^t  w A""^^^^ 
ponderous  I  vimr  mass  was  seen  klnJi^tr.  ZT   ^        ■  ""«f  o'  »"  when  the 
where  it  entere3thrwX^tfortJLSfl-.ti!J*I^J'"*  «^^8  *''«  «»"« 
^  All  seemed  to  go  wdl  up  to  abSnSf  ov£"  7^"^  U?^  °'^.?'''«^ 
the  hold  with  an  ey^miLdT^l^^Z^T^'  *H«  "'"o  paid  out  from 
fectly  it  had  been  SSTy  •  3  t^  iS*  ^^"''.'^  h^wcarefuUpr  andper- 

trWin  <»n8^snen^of  tKble  hayS^^Sr^^^^  ™^t 

indicated  stram  unon  tha  dvZ^^  "uflered  mjury  during  the  storm,  the 

1,700  lbs.,  orTssS  JntqS  whS'th^'lw'^''  '^^''^*^  f^  beyond 
thus  far  every  thinir  looV^l^Zi^^Jr '^^^'^  w  estimated  to  bear,  and 
work,  no  one  kSwKa  few  Sf/  '"^^  ,®">  ^  ""-^^  »  hazardous 
an  injured  por™f X  <4le  wT^S.^.^^L'"^  **'"*'''  f"'  «~»  ^ft^r  eight, 
portion  payVoat  Not  a  mo^fi^rr?^  about  a  mUe  or  two  fromV 
duty,  iu  «linVm;n  to  lork ^ «lwf  n^f f J  ^■^  ^'^^L^^^  engineep^ 
permit,  for  the^cable  wm  Sg  oui  "sul  a  4<l"ffi"fK^T  "  ^T  ^«"''^ 

fart ;  attention  waa  naturallr  di,^^,?^f^  • "  **5*  *^°  "Mufation  waa  still  por- 

oftbestoppage:;:Sd"nS"Lt:^i^£lt'S'Sffi^^ 
with  the  intention  of  making  a  perfert  i^iL  T„  f^f  IT  ?'''*'x**  *^*  P°"*' 
electrical  tests  appliedlhowlcLtKult  to  k;  J  i^  -S°"*'?'?*'*?.°°  "^ '^''  ^ 
some  fi%  miles  frortKi?Nor».!^Jr^^^'"''T^  and  mall  probability 
dent  thaf  the  cut  Sn  S  be  i*  Z^Zl  ^r^  '^'S*""'  "  T?-  «^ 
mean  time,  the tettous  and  difficntt^~S?Tl^'  '^"^  "^nuto",  and  in  t^e 
formed,  ibe  ship  ww  bSnedL^S^W  I^^"  of  niakmg  a  splice  had  to  be  per^ 
was  absolutely  nJ^S^^ptvS  it*Sin"^  "'^  '"'"*  «'^"'  ^^^  <>"'  ^ 

tensJeidteSt  folwS*^  idJ^^  ^^  '^'Z^'^  »  •««»«  "f  ««  most  ia- 
po«uble  speed  iidSg  oitXtiS^^ZShV^'"  ^"^^^  u*''«  ^*^^ 
juncUon  ^Id  be  fl^D*^brforo  tte^  C^«^S  ^Llt''^*^  ^^^ 
workmen.  The  main  hold  DreMnted^«^?!J^?^  "*''^  ***  '^'"•^  "^^  **» 
officers  of  the  shirMdrfth^^JrJ?^".^!"'^*^^^^       neariyall  the 

about  the  ooil, tftotoglSKr^eTf th^^^^  f^  ^  «^«"P« 

itself  nearer  Mid  nei^tL  ioinf  ^SfsiTrt.^  the  cable,  as  U  slowly  unwound 

purpose,  «ithe  cablHrwj  uK«Sj  ,SC?hnn^^L^^^  ***  °° 

and  desperate  resource,  th^e^TS^.u^u^^^'^^^  i*  •  ^"* 
tes,the  sUp  hu^b^SendTp^aSl^^^r't:^ 

h>A^tTtZ^TTJT^  having^,  «r;iy  saved  the  cable 


■^•tmfiifm^.. 


ing  tbesMkinto 
of  the  sapposi- 
m  been  tik^sed 

It  appeared  aa 
of  all  when  the 
"ing  the  cable 
mi8chic£ 
paid  out  from 
reftiUjandpet- 
3  which  might 
the  storm,  the 
to  go  beyond 
1  to  bear,  and 
:h  a  hazardous 
•on  after  ei 
two  from 
lio  enginee:,    _ 
as  time  would 
naged  portion 
ler  experience 

cable,  would, 

orted  that  the 
1  was  still  per- 
"obable  source 
at  th&t  point, 
tionofailjthc 
.11  probability 
or  it  was  en- 
38,  and  in  tju 
ud  to  be  per- 

Mid  out  tlUUD 

the  most  la- 
the greatest 
Me,  that  the 
lands  of  the 
lariyall  the 
odin  groups 
riy  unwound 
>y  Mr.  Can- 
anofiKtured, 
fe  and  death 
Ml  was  to  no 
id,  as  a  last 
r  a  few  mio- 
s  only  for  a 
md  it  wot^d 
>  was  miide 

5d  the  cable 
was  still  as 
iting.  Pre- 
iUcvaodto 


OB  tomalce 
nents  were 


IvMf  AT^'W*'-'** 


'i;-?.:^~iSi-^.^-, 


OVFIOIAL  KEP0KT8. 


325 


watched  closely  for.  the  returning  signals;  when,  in  a  few  minutes,  the  last 
hone  was  extincuished  by  their  suddenly  indicating  dead  earth,  which  tencjed 
to  show  that  the  cable  had  brolsen  from  the  Niagara,  or  that  the  insulation 
had  been  completely  destroyed.  .    . .     ^u   •  *  i 

In  three  minutes,  however,  every  one  was  agreeably  surprised  by  the  intel- 
ligence that  the  stoppage  ha<l  disappeared,  and  that  the  s.gnak  had  "ga™  »P; 
pSred  at  their  regular  intervals  ttom  the  Niagara.    Jt  is  needless  to  say  wha^ 
a  load  of  anticty  this  news  removed  from  the  minds  of  every  one ;  but  tfto 
general  confidence  in  the  ultimate  success  of  the  operttions  was  much  shaken 
^  the  occurrence,  for  all  felt  that  evfery  minute  a  similar  accident  m'ght  oc- 
cur.   For  some  time  the  paying-out  continued  as  usual,  but  towards  the  mom- 
hv  another  damaged  placi  was  discovered  in  the  cable  i  there  was  fortmiately 
however,  time  to  Tcp^r  it  in  the  hold  without  in  any  w»y  mterfenng  with  the     . 
oberations  beyond  fSr  a  time  slightly  reducing  the  speed  of  the  ship.  _ 
^During  th>  morning  of  Priday'the  30th,  every  thmg  went  wfeU;  the  stop 
had  been  kept  at  the  speed  of  aW  flve-knots,  the  c^le  paid  out  at  about 
S?  thTaverTge  angle  with  the  horizon  at  which  it  left  the  ship  being  about 
15  'dbg ,  wWle  the  indicated  strain  upon  thedynamometer  seldom  showed  more 
thanXeOO  pounds  to  1,700  pounds.    Observations  made  at  noon  «bowed  that 
we  had  made  good  ninety  mUcs  from  the  starting  point  since  the  previous  dav 
I^hanexpendUure,  including  the  loss  in  lowering  the  splice  and  dumg  the 
2eJuentWm«8,  of  135  miles  of  the  cable.     During  the  latter  por  ion  of 
Ky  the  baSier  fell  considembly  and  towards  the  evening  it  bl^ 

almost  a  gale  of  wind  from  the  eastward,  ^  ahead  «f  ^"'T •  .^^  *^>^ 
freshened  the  speed  of  the  engines  was  gradually  increased,  but  the  wind  more 
SnSe^d  inproportion,  to  that  before  the  sun  went  down,  the  Agamemnon 
irJL  SS  st^m^inst  the  wind,  only  making  a  speed  of  about  four  knots 
^oC^Dur  ng  the  elening  topmasts  werelowercd, and  spars, yards,  sa.l^  and 
todS  ever"  thing  aloft  that  could  offer  resistance  to  the  wind,  was  sentdow^ 
^nSkTbut  8t,°f the  ship  made  but  little  way,  chiefly  »°J»°3°^,?f  *^« 
hlvv  sea.  though  tffe  enormous  quantity  of  fuel  consumed  showed  us  that  if 
S^nd^S,  we  should  be  reduced  to  burning  the  masts,  spars,  and  even 

*''%firdrbe^  Z  PJXS^^^  to  i^eet  with  bead  ^nds  which- 
ever v^^he  K  head  was  turned.  On  our  journey  out  we  had  been  delay- 
^LTobiid  to  consume  an  undue  proportion  of  coat-tor  want  of  an^tojjy 
winTand  nC  all  our  fuel  was  wanted  because  of  one.^  ^^TT' wh^.^? 
Mxt  dS  the  wind  gradually  went  around  to  the  south-west  wh:ch,  though  it 
J^teedYv^  hea4  sea,.aiowed  us  to  husbuMl  our  smaU  remainmg  store 

**^^At  noon  on  Saturday,  the  3l8t  of  July,  observations  at  noon  showed  usto 
be  in  iSde  52  deg.  23'  N.  and  longitude  26  deg.  44  W.,  having  made  good 
m  mites  of  distanSj  since  noon  of  tTie  previous  day,  with  a  loss  of  about  27 
iS  S  of  caW?    The  Niagara,  as  far  as  could  be  judged  from  the  amount  of 
^ifrfieoaW  out  which  W  a  previous  arrangement  was  signalled  at  every 
tmSl  Cpt  pao^  wUh  us,  witfcp  one  or  two  miles  the  whole  distance  acr^ss^ 
During  the  iernoon  of  ^iturfi^,  the  wind  again  freshed  upland  befcte 
S^l  it  a^ain  blew  neaky  a  gale  of  wind,  and  a  tremendous  sea  rw  h^ 
Km  the  south-west,  which  made  the  Agamemnon  pitch  to  such  an  ertent 
iKwas  thought  impossible  the  cable  could  hold  ^l^^J^\^^h 
indeed,  had  it  not  been  for  the  constant  care  and  watchftilness  «««^^  Jj 
Mr.B^ght  and  the  two  energetic  engineers  Mr.  p*«f'%»°^i*^,'S?f'S^ 
whotctid  with  him,  it  could  not  have  been  done  at  all.    Men  were  kept  at 
The  whSs  oftto  machme  to  prevent,  their  stoppmg  as  the  "te™  of  the^p 
jS^^fbll  with  the  sea,  for  had  they  done  so  the  cablemuBt  undoubtedly 

"^^St>nd.ythe««.SwiSl.^^  it^BRSw- 


-'"A 


i 


,  . »    i    i  '     . 


ir?;}p 


326 


THE  baSAS  TBLBOKAPH. 


i. 


If 


w.teh.ndw,t(*  alternately  everf  ^^0^^      j'^"??"'"*'^''.  ^^^^  to  ke« 

thet  reJe«„„g  the  brakes  ercrytZXl  ^^^fT  'f  *?^  •"*"»«"».  for  «i 

"        rL**"!.!?*  r ""'y  *»Pended  iZ  Setv  of  thfLK.  ''*'  'h.  '^'^  '"^  ^^^  trough 

SJ^.'rf  *f  »»«^  their  duty.     &u^hou?tt'  '-"f"'!  "-"l'  -how.  how 

had  the  least  expectation  of  tlia  «»ki1  1/ li^      *  *°^  "'KF  there  were  few  who 

£«n  which  should  announce  the  faHar„  of  »    ""^i •^T^^'^  to  hear_;riz:,  the 
which,  m  companion  with  the  shnf^mlhKT  ^^'-    ^«t  still  the  able 
tic  waves  among  which  it  wm  dcU^^  jJ^t\'*  "^^^H  ««*•'«'  the  S 
hdd  on  ohiy  leaving  .  silve^  phX&r£l  *  "Tu  '^^^  continnTj, 
Wi  "''  ^^"^  *••«  ^^yoospnorous  hne  upon  the  sfupendoua  seas  m 

-ain?d  &Tayl";rntrjrnTtt^  ^^^'--^  «""  *"«  ^•^ 
.    Jaii^e  nigh,  tLt  our^See?"*  S-tu^^,-i^«£^^^^^^^^ 
teatpT3?S.'  ?^  S^oiS  rr  26' N..  and  Ion.  23"  16'  w 

or  2,400  ftthoms,  and  over  more  than  half  of  fh!T^  ^*'"'  "^"P^^*  soundini? 
the  amonrt  of  cable  still  rema^ine  fai  th«  ih^  ^^  '^'"^'"  &«"«"«%.  whilf 
««7  n.  to  the  Irish  coast,  e^aZZi^ltA  "T  """'  ^^^'^  suffld^.t  S 
should  oblige  us  to  pay  out  the  sartHl^    f   continuance  of  the  bad  weather 

•rto^^*'"?-    Thus^^artirnVlSXr^vll*^"^**^^^^ 
««.    But  former  experience  show^^  IZ  ^t^""?' ??  ^?!:  ""f  «'timate  suc- 
■npiHwe  that  some  a^ddent  miKht  nor.^ir  ^,.fT^J  that  we  could  nevw 
landed  on  the  opposite  shores    *      "''*  "««  untjl  the  ends  had  been  tZw 

boi^Saf  "evt^a^itU^'^^Cj^fh  ""™;"^.*''''  --*''-  -tinned  as 
Mgmeer  npon  dut>  th^t^^Zh^J^lu'^T  "'^«''»tig»ble  exertion^ oFth^ 

Criy^^'^ndTuSlll^^^^^^ 

Mru^;;;^.fts^^^ 
?hi|^«jr?^t'rKt\:?:^tftrt?"  t  -®-''  '^"p^^tS 

>,  tk  cable  never  paid  itself  out^A  fL  *^°'^  *^!?*'  '^'°g  "nresilwiv  u^ 
the  time  the  ship  CSat  the  rT^?''^ '^'^  *'^»"  «?»*  knotstofoKt 
however,  when  the  Bpe^tZnMp^ni^^^  f  "^^^  Su£q„ently 
never  ran  out  so  qufdt .    The  nxSi^T^j      ^  *"  ''"ots  and  a  half,  the  cahl« 

52°  35'  N.,  tomritadB  ft'o  iS^  \  observations  shiwed  us  to  ^  i„  utifa.,i. 


^^.rsri^^aa:^^^^^^^^ 


I 


»' 


.*«< 


:;^'S"''^?||^*^*'" 


.!^i''' 


itru.'-xt-  n^v.Ui'i- 


s^; 


UfcngagedJnthe 
le  two  cngiiHKtTj 
■Pr,  had  to  keep 
duty  durst  not 
moment,  for  on 
into  the  trough 
suit  shows  how 
B  were  few  who 
I  "nd  many  re- 
hear—«z,,  the 
;  still  tho  cable, 
«nd  the  gi«n- 
1,  continued  to 
endoua  seas  as 

;  still  thesl^ 
Jnt  squalls  of 
teop  up,  if  not 
i^ugh  so  much 
Id  was  much 

n-  23°  16'  W., 
id  about  360 
pest  sounding 
neraHj,  while 
sufflciejit  to 
'  bad  weather 
ad  been  hith- 
ultimate  suc- 
1  could  never 
'  been  fairly 

continued  as 
•tions  of  the 
opping  alto- 
»ey  did  couu^ 
p  them  moT- 
» of  the  ship 
id  upon  the 
Jtered  1,700 
fiwquently 
peed  of  the 
!tedly  upon 
I  An  hour  at 
bsequently 
If,  the  cable 
>wto  this 
abal^  the 

in  latitude 
»  noon  of 
oatedestH 

iuehafler- 
rdt»wn4 

>ra  across 


I 


our  bowB.  A  (vJ!i>jiw,  frtji ';  -.  .ArjA  tnn>»c  AtAl  to  the  cable,  now  seemed 
inevitable, or 'viiiKi  i^uty  ij^,  •>,.'■)•-<  «v  CHt*  'tjually  hazardous  expedient  of 
alterinf?  the  '\^;iiiit>rtj^..j"V«<itf>«  'Vuti  Vftloroua  steamed  aliead,  and  flrod  a 
guu  for  hor  t')  Itta*"*  •>;.  «s4t'  b.  v  jdw-  ilwi  not  appear  to  take  much  notice  d^ 
was  quickly  fi.II<^e<l  ».ir  i.f' •'.,  i  ,i..<ti.  ihe  bows  of  tbe , AKamemnon,  and  a 
second  and  third  ftoio  'hy  V»ioi-'Mi«,  l-,ut  still  the  vessel  held  on  her  course; 
and  as  the  only  rewonn  '.'H  V,  nv  nd  a  coilioion  the  course  of  the  Agamemnon 
was  altcrwl  jum  i,i  Himw  'i^  }hw  wrthin  a  fifw  yards  of  her.  It  was  evident 
that  our  procwwJinjci "v  v  j,  ^.nr<in  of  rhi'  isn^atent  possible  astonishment  to 
them,  for  all  her  crtw  .-.vwM  tmm  }«*^  ^-k  and  rigging.  At  leng^  they 
evidently  discoven-f'  wHi.'  *.,  -^xif:,  «wJ  "^hal  we  wcrw  doing,  (br  the^crew 
manned  the  riptrin't  vm\  fJijwiUf!  iht^  W»|P<  «e»*riJ  times  they  K«ve  us  throe 
hearty  cheers.  Tiioujrh  Uuj  AaaSsxiniJ^f  o  ir»i«  oUli^r*^  fo  acknowledee  ''  w» 
(X'»i)cr>»tnlationB  in  due  fenu,  (iw  *rrU«ir*irff  )«rtOOT«>»''P  with  whiob  we  mjianled 
tlio  rrwA  tvhich,  either  l>y  Ax  f-.pirtit^  or  <*V>V)i*«o!in!  «i"  thi>nc  oi  honni 
w«*  c>>  i»<»ar  adding  a  fata!  arH  ..m-^pp  't4«l  lOsiitluk^  i»  tht^  iuttfi  Lu»jH>}r  •)!  vxi- 
^oiits  whirti  had  already  l>eon  en<ipr,m«.f»>/J,  ut^f  Wfi't/  ^«*  '''»(*«'■  '-1-  If  Uvw* 
below  ••ho  tjf  c/MiiWi  did  not  see  th«:  •*>!»»  ftjijsiftaflji'rf  tM-  t^'«tA  ,t  Uvt:  ih^m. 
gun  r«n«  !i5t<i  ^  thcudtcrbolt,  for  all  ''*>«>!>  it  »#  it- ■  nijiiwl  •^?  '}»«  lvTief!,!ii»  cWkhe 
cable.  TtiR  (Utujcr  inblcs  were d<iMit*<i  °'  tt>  »i«»r.eiit  r»i''  -  ^-rtj-'n-i  t ii*ii  imvi*- 
up  the  hat^hf^K  ta  the  deck,  but  IxP,/?*?  it-aeWijjE  tt  their  Wn  »• -i^  i«>rkly 
bani^ed  liy  'iii  ri»port  »«f  the  succe'-liitu  ^un,  which  all  knew  *«'ll  i...,.M  )r»iy 
be  caused  Wj  a  ship  in  our  way  or  s  n«u  <»wrboard. 

Throutrh  lUt  the  ki  <^ter  portion  o."  Monday  monaoft  the  eloctrlcAl  Hij^nalit 
from  the  Niagdiu  hii,3  imni  getting  gnidu*Uv  w^tr,  uatii  tticy  cewicd  iilto^ 
gether  for  nearly  4h^re  ^iia«-t«ni  of  an  ho»ir  Oar  >in«f«rtifi*s8,  however,  was 
in  some  degrc<'  l«fl««n«>d  hy  iho  fact  that  the  Mtot^tutfpi  a(i()v«riMt  to  lie  a  want 
of  continuity,  ahd  pin  ar»y  def^-t  in  insulatum,  ^ni  ih'itt'  was  <'«)n8equpntly 
every  reason  to  suppotar  thai  ft  might  aris*!  fci'irn  {f^l^  .•/mietUgn  on  troand 
the  Niagara.  Aocontinffiy  Profwwor  Thomson  siMtt  n  it>as<(a,T«  ta  tU.'  fffeet  that 
the  sig;nal»  were  too  wuftk  Ur  l<«>  rmA,  and.  as  if  they  1»»<1  ?»■■?»)  tj^viutinn  «nMih 
a  signal  to  increase  Uieir  baUc>-y  fmwer,  tno  dcflcot'oHS  iinio .  ^'.I'-ftiy  n-tur.KJd 
even  stronger  than  they  W  t'Vsf  lieon  before.  To»ai;1.  tijt  (sjwii^;  N-»- 
evcr,  they  again  declinea  «t>  fo>ve  fwa  short  time.  W\t5«  tls.  «f«=v4»t,'(wi  flf 
these  little  stoppages  the  ole«iirii>»l  cjr.ditbn  of  tho  «ttbBk«*|>:^'si  n  it\-  »h«(«iw| 
to  be  miich  nn)^>rov«d.  It  was  evifiout  Shnt  the  low  (4>f^i>«riiittir>- >!  it««jira*«r 
at  iht  impwumi  dopth  im{noved  coiwttdeittbly  the  insulating  pro}>:  rtw**  -^  t|v^ 
jsntf*  i^reh*,  whi'r  tho  enormous  pTt>s«ur«  to  which  it  roust  haw  hwrn  x>tkf 
idiitiH  t/ftr??*fclv  traded  to  consolidate  its  »exliure,and  to  fill  up  any  K>i  kmhh'n-- 
ir  r^Jghl  %itt*«  ii:  miuku!^(>ir«)  whicii  miiy  liavo  existed. 

'She  w«*4ii»r«!»'^*  J^j^*}*)*  ni^ht  looderated  a  little,  but  stiil  tht-r*-  **♦  ^ 
mry-  h^Xf  m.yt  nap  ^'liwh  pitimaifin-^  th«  wifts  evwry  second  minute. 

Aif^t«»t  ityjijfc.  .vVuVit-  ''V  ')^^«3ivlar  Kt<>ei«Jna  ail.  u«  board  were  startled  from 
thoJ/  lMi»  I'T  >!*»  "i^iiflf  ^^•■ivasii^  ol  *  ^iiik,  jBvep)'  one,  without  waiting  for  the 
perfimruM^^  am'  iim  tP'M  ^^^vj^Uh  t^^A^i,  nMhed  on  deck  to  ascertain  tKi 
cause  of  thtt  <ti4ti.uHi&m«  i^csitfttrr  t«  «i!  MMiTtafioo  the  cable  was  safo,  bufe 
JMrt  ia  th«  gwpi  !»!h!  o^d  bn  vm*^  tHp  Vd.Kir<«us  rounded  to  in  the  most 
warilk*  attltomt,  Hrlna  fem  *itiw-  fua  in  i^iitk  auecMskn^  towards  a  hirge 
American  b*l%,  V>mi,  uMiU^  tt^^ii^t^ioNli  «f  «s'U-  jf^t-^NN^dinf,  was  standiag 
rljfht  fei^Hw  ot>r  «|i*«  aat*.  i*.^  aivl  s^tR>#6K*|  »#K»*«j!»tt'<>»i»^«>*  (^>fB  *  h"mt 
<!t»m  fhj|in*  w^^?  s0t  id  w^Kt?^m^.  v,fiii!i,^iTi^'"':t  w>0mi  ^vm*m  ^U^ 

vtkjf  or  <T*  wlK-Hiaftwrw,  s*»  n«J!>.Tifly"  *;l4i^w  kgr  (BraB'ii®*:^  '»»»<i  '*<"'«««''U(!;r4  lt««» 
raiK  u»>.i}  il».p 


T;-gpTifTr5ps,U*Mi^.«|S*  NtfeyMii  te'vs  te  ufS^yi  w*v  !s!*4  >^*»s^* 


hw  i»  ik<r  li^U^*a&r. 


'     »!.. 


ti-^-y^ 


MMWiai 


mr 


,w 


^M'l^ 


m\ 


\ 


''">-'iu-*i**»-'*5i*^srffS 


v.^fj;.. 

.  (■">■ 

'■■f 

ai'^r. 


398 


TH«  OOEAIT   TRUCOKAPH: 


J' 


"■r    .ik 


week^b?t  JfiTiT^""''  *'""'  '^^  *•"??  "y  ''^  ^  experienced  for  nearlr  » 
frTfr^^mL  !,^^"\T1".'''^"'*'™^'«  "»•  ninning.and  our  duinm  were 
S^nTiJKT^'  yet  the  hope,  of  our  ultimate  «ucS;«  ran  high.  We^ 
»oomphshed  nearly  *he  whole  of  the  deep  sea  portion  of  the  roX  in  ^ 

jSrewL  «;""*''"■  *'^."?',*."°*^^°™'»'*  circlmiHtanoes  posHihIe  5  theS 

'•"""jj'*' should  accomplish  the  remainder. 

Observationfr  at  no<wi  placed  us  in  lat.  5*  26'  N    Ion.  ia»  7'  40"  W 

divldeVtL Vlfi  "'"'"l!^  '°,  ""  **!«"'"»!  *he  steep  submarine  mountab  which. 

«MinwS  Jl^^  '""^"C^^  ^"**"' '»'«'  »  ^«-y  "'«'-''«<l  erect  upon  the  cawj 
eausing  the  strain  on  and  the  speed  of  it  to  lessen  evory  minute.    A  ureat  dad 

luJh  nirJ^  "h"*,  *1k*""''  ^T  ""y  K"»*  inequalities  whl^h  mffeSJ 
S  25?KaTh«.rLrl^^K*ii^  'ru"'"^^"*^  ''"«•  ^^^^  ten  o'clock  the  shSal  water 
from  thi  fc  ^'«.'*~'H<^ !  the  «n^,  remaining  anxiety  now  was  the  chandnj 
Eddai  JZ!  '"'""*^'"' '"  **"'*  "''""  *''*'  «PP«'-  '^^l**  «»'J  tW.  most  dSif 
otteJTo^'^^dl'^TLrhi"""'"'""^'"''"™^^  '^*'^«''»  «^"'«"-'  '-' 

•the  ^d7«  1      wi  ♦^'*''?^'°'^'"K  *  :p''<*  '•''^*^  **>»  '*».^  '^  st^rt-'d  from 
-^iTw  ■  *^  therefore  ooiigrattltaM  o«m.lTe8  on  havinir  saVed  a 

Lviiw  ,mi   h.     ■       .   '^•ter  WW  shallow,  so  that  there  was  ro  Acuity  in 

^s^^  :izir^^^i:^j  •-  ^^  ^-^^  -^  "^^  •-•^<^  -po-' he 

deck  twi'?n'*W  "'"'  .K  '"  ^^'^  T"'"*  *'»•>  •»«»"I  «'h«°Ke  from  the  upper 
v^N  exchln^H"^"  the  orlop  deck  was  safely  effected,  a^d  shortly  after  the 
th^U^uJ^^  aT'^"  "'?^  thfty  t^ere  In  IWo  hundml  fethoms  ^ter.  As 
wo  we™  o^vZw% 'r*^  f  **»'  ^*?  ""^  ^^"«^' ""  **  ^««  known  tlj? 
the  SkeK  T  iS.?  1  ^'''^^'  m  the  mommg.    About  twelve  o'clock,  howere^ 

t?~r^r^"^"^^^^^^^^^ 

J'h^^'J^o^^d^^^^^^^^^  ^«Pt«^er  o^^^ 

w,«rr;^K»  r/  «""^««>a  the  wdd  and  picturesque  neighborhood  of  Valontiit 
rose  r^ht  before  us  at  a  few  miles'  distance.    Never,  probsblv  w«  tlwS 

S^?^  'S  f  i***^  T'^.^'.r-  "'^  •^'««""  «<=hemes  which  was  ever  unde^ 
fcrth  ^a  llfl^f '"'  *^"''''*  "^^  ,T^^  melancholy  swamp  on  the  fZ  erf 
Ke^nn  r^L  r^  ^  JT  "fj  "^  ''*^"'** '«''«  ^«»'«'  '*  «  pletea^t  prospect ;  but, 

H  nminifin-  T^°^  °'^*5"'  stccp  mountftins  which  surround  iis  shores  and 
t  whl^  *-\?"-'*?".^"^''™"?'''P«''^''ich  hung  upon    hem.irwaTa 

fc^f  fl  ^^•^''*  '^^  "?  ^"*y  ^'*'»  -ay  thing  that  could  b«  p^L^  by 
t^  most  florid  imagination  of  an  artist  ^  "     '^       ■  ""  proawxtj  py 

oi^  l?°t  °°/hore  was  apparently  conscious  of  our  appwwch.  ao  the  Vak)rt.«» 
ste f'*'n  '^  "'e.™°"th  of  the  harbor  and  fired  a*^ Ikth  shJpS  mX 
teu)  ^7„,°°"''"  B*7.  and  about  six  o'clock  came  tTanohor  at  KKf 

excitement  to  ^^^^.T;^"^^^^,  "^it^^^s.^ 


r 


• 


'<  jf. 


j^g^w^ih 


v^«%  * 


-'s-'/ 


■/.t 


J[,» 


.^ 


sd  for  nearlj  a 
p  duigem  were 
iiigh.  We  hmd 
oitte  in  safety, 
ihle;  therefore 
accident  shonld 

6»  7'  40"  W., 

lonntam  whioh, ' 
1,  and  the  eflfect 
upon  the  cabliL 
A  ^rest  deal 
th  might  exist, 
th«  shoal  water 
18  the  changing 
>  most  dif^lt 
jiree-and  four 

Irst  on  which 

0  started  from 
iTing  saTcd  a 

At  I  toon  we 
tcleg;raph  stn- 
10  difficulty  in 
akcd  upon  the 

>m  the  upper 
Drtly  after  the 
js  water.    As 

1  known  that 
no  advantage 

ock,  however, 
I  stennied  on 
ect ««,  whi(^ 
Mr.  Moriarty, 
own  coui^e, 

ij  mountwns 
of  Vatentia, 
was  tlh»  fcight 
)  one  of  the 
i  ever  nndcr- 
I  the  faoe  of 
pospect;  but, 
oep  Moft  pHr- 
Rnores,  and 
im,  It  was  a 
prodmu'd  t)y 

the  Valontua 
1  ships  made 
t  the  side  of 
tnts  hcearae 
».  ami  Imn- 

m  gemiffT 

was  thaeat 


M 


OFlKHAli '"BKPORTS. 


3219 


inD: 


r 


'^wcre  got  ready, 

10  of  Iwding  th« 

^  of  boats  left  the 

the  detaolunont  of 


rl«.  but  •  messenKT  was  immfediately  despatched  for  him,  and  ho  soon 

her  Majesty's  gunboat  Shamrock.    Soon  after  our  arrival  a  signal 

from  Uie  Niagara  that  they  were  preparing  to  laitd,  liaving  paid 

1^1  miles  of  cable,  while  the  Agamemnon  had  accomplished  hor 

'distance  with  an  expenditure  of  1,020  miles,  making  the  total 

"Mre  submerged  2,050  geograpliical  miles.  •  ;lmmcdiately  after 

3hor,  the  paddlebf)x  boats  of  the  Valoroi 
^^.  cable  coiled  away  in  them,  for  the  pur- 
,  ,/tti  IM*  '"*  ****  afternoon  before  the  prooor-* 
^hiSTWMicr  a  salut»  of  three  rounds  of  small  arms  fr™,  -_- 
mannes  oaSoa«ithe  Afimemiion,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Morns 
The  proghiss  faf  the  end  to  the  shore  was  very  slow,  in  consequenoo  of  the 
very  stiff  ^nWWch  blew  at  the  time,  but  at  about  three  o'clock  tho  end  WM 
Htdly  brought  in  shore  at  Knightstown,  Valcntia,  by  Mr.  Bright  and  Mr. 
Canning,  the  cttlfeTand  second  engineers,  to  whose  exertions  the  success  of  the 
underUking  is^attributablc,  and  the  Knight  of  Kerry.  The  end  was  mune- 
diately  laid  in  ihe  trench  which  had  been  dug  to  receive  it,  while  a  royal  salute, 
maldng  the  neighboring  r6cks  and  mountains  reverberate^  announced  that  the 
comto^ication  between  the  Ol.T  a.  1  the  New  World  had  been  comDleted. 

The  end  was  immediately  taken  into  the  electric  room  by  Mr.  Whitchouse, 
an*  attached  to  a  galvanometer,  Mid  the  message  was  received  through  the 
entire  leogt^ 


• 


THE  E!N1>. 


H^ 


^■^■■■:. 


f--^ 


««# 


7 ' 


->-?• 


'¥'■ 


inoa  noDlB. 


